Police Officers: Entry-level and Lateral

Industry: Police; Police Patrol

Company: City of Beaverton, OR

Salary: $36.72 – $49.20 Hourly

Location : Beaverton Public Safety Center, OR

Job Type: Full time

Job Number: FY24/25-01033

Department: Police

Division: Police Patrol

Opening Date: 01/03/2025

Closing Date: Continuous

The Position

The City of Beaverton is seeking entry-level and lateral Police Officers to join our team of professionals, working hand in hand with our community to ensure a safe environment for all. Beaverton Police Department serves community members with compassion and respect, through proactive crime prevention, law enforcement, and community engagement.

As a Police Officer, you will patrol assigned areas to deter crime, enforce laws, and respond to emergencies. Your duties will include conducting investigations, gathering evidence, issuing citations, and making arrests as appropriate. Officers also take command at crime or accident scenes, administer first aid, write reports, and provide credible testimony in court. This work requires sound judgment, integrity, and the ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively.

What we’re looking for:

• Applicants who embody integrity, courage, and a strong sense of public service.
• Excellent communication skills, sound decision-making abilities, and a calm demeanor in stressful situations.
• Future officers who are committed to community engagement and understand the importance of building relationships and trust within our city.
• People who are excited by the challenge of learning a large amount of factual material, including laws, statutes, ordinances, and procedures, and work effectively with colleagues, the public, and other agencies.

For entry-level applicants, this position is an opportunity to launch a meaningful career in law enforcement, supported by comprehensive training and development.

Experienced lateral officers will bring proven skills and experience to contribute immediately to our team.

If you want to make a real impact within the diverse Beaverton community, enjoy a variety of tasks and duties at work, and thrive in a professional, progressive, proactive organization, this may be the opportunity for you!

Selection process

The hiring process for Beaverton Police Department is a seven-step process that typically takes 3-4 months to complete. Qualified lateral officers may start on Step 3 (Oral board).

Step 1: Written test – Reading comprehension and grammar

Step 2: Physical test – 1 mile run (passing time: 9 minutes, 15 seconds)

Step 3: Oral board (interview)

Step 4: Background investigation

• Statement of personal history
• Personal profile question

Step 5: Chief interview

Step 6: Psychological evaluation

Step 7: Medical evaluation

Police Officer is a full-time, non-exempt, Beaverton Police Association (BPA)- classified position. Police Officers work varied shifts that include weekends and holidays.

Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Beaverton’s online portal. Your education, skills, and experience will be evaluated using the main application form and supplemental questions; a resume and cover letter are not required and do not substitute for a complete application and work history.

This recruitment is open continuously and applications will be reviewed regularly. After you’ve submitted your application, you can check your governmentjobs.com account to view its current status.

Responsibilities

• Enforce criminal and traffic laws
• Make arrests
• Issue citations
• Investigate accidents
• Patrol roads, highways, and businesses
• Write reports
• Appear in court
• Handle prisoners
• Communicate by radio
• Educate the public
• Provide services to residents and community members
• Contribute to the promotion of organizational values, including personal and professional development; diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; actively promote the value of respect in a multicultural society
• Additional duties outlined in the class specification

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications, licensing, and special requirements for all officers:

• High school diploma or GED; and work skills and/or life experience that are relevant to a law enforcement career.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet the city’s driving standards.
• 21 years or older at the time of hire.
• Must be a US citizen within 18 months of hire or a nonimmigrant legally admitted to the United States under a Compact of Free Association.
• Must never have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that reflects adversely on the capacity to serve as a police officer.
• Able to pass background and reference checks, drug screen, and pre-hire medical and psychological evaluations. Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) fingerprints must be cleared prior to start date; successful candidates will need to receive CJIS certification within 30 days after hire.

To qualify as an entry-level officer you must be:

• Able to pass written exam and physical agility and fitness tests.
• Successful candidates must obtain Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Basic Certification within 18 months of hire.

To qualify as a lateral hire, you must have:

• Completed a State-certified police academy.
• Passed a probationary period of not less than one year with a law enforcement agency as a full-time sworn officer.
• Been employed as a full-time sworn officer within the last five years.
• Be in good standing with current/former law enforcement agency.

The City of Beaverton is committed to supporting a culture of accountability, equity and inclusion for all, especially marginalized groups. We pledge to continue the ongoing, difficult and essential work needed to address institutional racism and historical inequities in all forms.

Beaverton is a diverse city, boasting a large population of qualified persons, including women, veterans, Black, Indigenous and people of color, persons with disabilities, generational groups, persons who speak many languages and are of diverse national origins.

Studies have shown that many candidates, especially women, are less likely to apply for a job if they do not believe they meet 100% of the hiring criteria. The city’s talent acquisition goals include hiring the candidate who is best able to meet the performance objectives of the role. We therefore encourage persons with non-traditional skill sets and experiences to apply, even if you believe you do not meet 100% of the qualifications and hiring criteria described.

Compensation

Wage range: $36.72 – $49.20 hourly

All new hires with no sworn, paid law enforcement work experience will start at step 1 of the posted salary range. Higher steps may be offered to lateral hires who have additional years of directly related experience to the position within the posted wage range.

Total compensation package and benefitsIn addition to competitive pay, the city offers a wide variety of benefits to regular employees which make up an exceptional total compensation package.

The city pays the full retirement contribution to PERS including the employee portion; provides employees with an opportunity to participate in a deferred compensation retirement plan; makes available a public service loan forgiveness program and tuition reimbursement program; and offers excellent health, dental, vision and life .

Additional benefits include excellent , PTO cash out options, wellness programs and incentives, a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) VEBA with 3% employer contributions, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and bilingual pay premiums.

Vacation accrual for lateral hires will be based on total length of previous experience as a full-time public safety employee, and lateral hires may also be eligible for a cash hiring bonus of up to $7500, as well as frontloaded vacation time.

City of Beaverton Compensation Break DownGross cash compensationStarting stepStep 1Step 4Step 7Yearly salary$76,368.24$88,032.48$102,332.52Estimated benefits paid by the city – non-cash compensationPublic Employees Retirement System fully-paid contributions for employee $4,009.33$4,621.71$5,372.46Medical & Dental – Max city contributions for employee +1 (dollar value)$29,819.04$29,819.04$29,819.04Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) VEBA; 3% contribution$2,291.05$2,640.97$3,069.98Deferred compensation account; 3% employer contribution$2,291.05$2,640.97$3,069.98No-cost Tri-Met public transportation pass (dollar value)$1,200.00$1,200.00$1,200.00Total estimated non-cash compensation – benefits$39,610.47$40,922.69$42,531.45Total salary and estimated non-cash compensation value$115,978.71$128,955.17$144,863.97

Annual amounts in the table are shown for comparison purposes only and may vary slightly from actual salaries due to rounding calculations in the payroll system.

The City of Beaverton provides a generous benefit package, including excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage; and employer-paid PERS retirement. Learn more about your options and employee-based benefits by clicking the link below.

01

What is your highest level of education?

• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College
• Associate’s Degree
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s Degree or higher
• None of the above

02

Do you have a valid driver’s license and ability to meet city driving standards?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you possess full professional proficiency to read, write and speak one or more of the city’s priority languages (Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Arabic, Japanese, Russian)?

• Yes
• No

04

If you answered yes to the question about languages, which of the City of Beaverton’s priority languages do you speak, read, and write fluently?

• Spanish
• Arabic
• Korean
• Vietnamese
• Chinese
• Russian
• Japanese
• None of these

05

All persons hired as a police officer by the Beaverton Police Department must be 21 years of age or older at the date of hire. Applicants who will turn 21 in the next four months are encouraged to apply.

• I acknowledge that I have read this statement.

06

All persons hired as a police officer by the Beaverton Police Department will be required to verify valid U.S. citizenship or nonimmigrant status legally admitted to the U.S. under a Compact of Free Association, or obtain US citizenship status within 18 months of hire.

• I acknowledge that I have read this statement.

07

Have you been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that reflects adversely on the capacity to serve as a police officer?

• Yes
• No

08

Please list any work, volunteer, or life experience that is relevant to a law enforcement career.

Required Question