Exceptional Police Officer

Police Officer

Ranked as one of the most livable cities in America, Kirkland is an attractive and inviting place to live, work, and visit. We have big city vision while maintaining a small-town, community feel. If you are a candidate with the desire to join an organization looking to innovate into the future, the City of Kirkland is the place for you!

If you ask our employees why they love where they work, they'll tell you about the great people, work environment, supportive management and City Council, and fearless innovation.

We also invest in you! Competitive Wages : We strive to maintain competitive compensation packages and work to provide wages that meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities of our employees.

Awesome Benefits : The City offers benefits that are unmatched by most other employers. To help address the challenge of finding reliable childcare, the City of Kirkland has reserved spots for City employees at local and regional service providers, available at a discount. New employees gain access to Kirkland's reserved spots as soon as they start employment. The City of Kirkland believes in developing its employees. You will have access to training opportunities designed for career development and advancement based on your position, skills, and interests.

Performs the functions of law enforcement necessary to maintain public peace, protect life and property, prevent crime, apprehend violators of the law and otherwise assure proper enforcement of the laws and ordinances of the City of Kirkland and the State of Washington.

Principal Accountabilities The Police Department works shift work of varied hours depending on assignment. Officer's work with current technology such as in car computer systems and computer aided dispatch. Officers are generally assigned to one person patrol cars, but may be assigned to collateral duties or assignments depending on department needs.

Essential Duties :

• Contributes to the preservation of peace and protection of life and property by patrolling an assigned area primarily by car, and occasionally on foot, bicycle or motorcycle. Responds to a wide variety of calls and complaints to include misdemeanors and felonies and civil issues.
• Contributes to the apprehension of criminal suspects by conducting preliminary and follow-up investigations. This would involve contacting and interviewing witnesses and victims of a crime; sketching & photographing a crime scene; dusting for latent fingerprints; and collecting other evidence and preserving the chain of evidence. The position prepares criminal investigation reports and testifies in court.
• Contributes to the smooth and safe movement of traffic on City streets by performing traffic and parking enforcement functions. This would include observing traffic movement, operating radar speed detection units, directing traffic, and issuing traffic citations.
• Contributes to understanding the cause of traffic accidents by conducting accident investigations. Attempts to determine the cause (driver error or mechanical failure) of the accident.
• Contributes to the enforcement of City laws and ordinances by apprehending violators. The subduing and arresting of violators could range from simply advising the suspect that he / she is under arrest to a physical confrontation involving the use of force up to and including the use of a firearm. Once suspect is in custody, a complete booking procedure will be followed.
• Contributes to the prevention of crime by giving talks; maintaining a high degree of visibility. This involves knowing the layout of City streets; extensive knowledge of Federal, State, and municipal law; patrolling key problem areas; and knowing the routines of the City and its citizens in order to identify unusual or abnormal activities.
• Contributes to a favorable image of the Department.
• The position performs various other duties as assigned, including the transportation of prisoners to court or medical facilities; serving misdemeanor and felony warrants for arrest; and maintaining security in the jail area.

Peripheral Duties :

This is a continuous recruitment. Applications will be screened as openings occur and hiring will be staggered throughout the year.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications :

At time of application you must be 21 years of age; a US citizen or a lawful permanent resident, must not have any felony convictions as an adult and have vision correctable to 20 / 20 in each eye. Must possess the ability to read, write and speak fluent English. Must have the physical capability to successfully meet the Criminal Justice Training Commission Fitness Ability Test Battery. Must have successfully completed an accredited Police Basic Training Academy curriculum with less than 12 months of service as a sworn municipal, county or state officer. Out of state laterals must complete the State Equivalency Academy. At time of hiring applicant must have a valid Washington State Drivers' License.

All illegal drug use will be closely scrutinized on a case by case basis.

Automatic Disqualifiers : Applicants should not apply if they indicate any of the following disqualifiers :

Preferred Qualifications :

Prefer current service (with less than 12 months of service) as a sworn municipal, county or state officer.

Working Conditions & Physical Activities :

The working environment is characterized by the potential for physical, verbal and psychological assault by prisoners or individuals suspected of crime. Dependent on assignment and task, the work period may be eight to twelve hours a day. Other physical activities include, but are not limited to, operating a patrol vehicle, walking, running, or sitting at a workstation performing administrative tasks. The scope of work performed has the potential for other physical or cardiovascular exertion in the performance of duties. Work is performed in a variety of weather conditions and adverse conditions. Assignments may include but are not limited to Patrol, Investigations, Traffic, Training, Neighborhood Resource Officer, School Resource Officer, Pro-Act Unit, and K-9 after at least 12 months in patrol.

Collateral duty assignments available to commissioned officers are : Special Response Team, Crisis Negotiations Team, Firearms Training Unit, Less Lethal Training Unit, Defensive Tactics, Bicycle Patrol, and Foot Patrol.

Hours of Work :

Must be available to work 8 or 10 hour rotating shifts. Patrol Officers work four 10 hour shifts, followed by three days off. Officers work Monday - Thursday or Thursday - Sunday. Available shifts are days, swing, and nights, and are bid by seniority.

Recruitment Process :

An application with the City of Kirkland is not required at this time. Please visit Public Safety Testing to complete the required testing and choose to share your test scores with the City of Kirkland. Test scores are viewed on a regular basis and you will receive an invitation from the Kirkland Police Department if you are moving forward to an Oral Board. For questions regarding the background check, please e-mail