CITY OF RENTON WASHINGTON

The Renton Police Department is a full service law enforcement agency, organized in seven divisions:

• Patrol Operations
• Patrol Services
• Investigations
• Administrative Services
• Auxiliary/Staff Services
• Professional Standards
• Special Operations

The department takes great pride in the quality of our personnel and the services they provide, which include:

• Bicycle Patrol
• K-9
• Detectives
• School Resource Officers
• Volunteer Program
• Vacation House Checks
• Traffic
• Special Enforcement Team
• Direct Enforcement Team
• SWAT
• Hostage Negotiators
• Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (V.N.E.T.)
• Neighborhood & Business Watch

The nature of police work involves the protection of life and property, enforcement of laws and ordinances, the prevention and investigation of crimes, and the ability to exercise independent discretion.

A police officer must possess intelligence and integrity and stand up to rigorous personal, ethical, moral and physical challenges. While providing service to the community, the greatest rewards of the profession are self-esteem, pride and the opportunity to utilize individual talents and skills.

A new police officer's career begins at the academy where training is provided for 18 weeks (720 hours), 8 hours every day, except weekends and holidays. Commissioned academy graduates are assigned to the Patrol Division under the guidance of a Field Training Officer who instructs and guides new officers in the practical application of academy training.

Lateral police officers are assigned directly to the Patrol Division with a Field Training Officer to provide orientation and training. Performance is evaluated during the first year on a regular basis.

All entry-level officers serve an 18-month period of probation where job performance is formally evaluated by a supervisor.

The entry level police officer testing process includes a written examination, physical ability test battery, and an a panel interview.

Public Safety Testing is the first step in the application process. Both lateral and entry level candidates who successfully complete their respective process will be placed on the eligibility register according to their composite score, plus veterans' preference points, if applicable.

Entry level applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Age 21 at the time of examination
  United States citizen
• Read and speak the English language
• High school graduate or equivalent, college course work preferred
• Ability to obtain a Washington State Driver's License free of suspensions or revocations
• No felony convictions
• Ability to pass a series of qualifying pre-employment examinations

Lateral applicants must have been employed on a full-time basis as a general authority, paid commissioned officer for a minimum of 12 of the last 36 months at the time of application.

Applicants must also have successfully completed a basic police training academy and if they are from outside of the State of Washington, become certified by the Washington State Equivalency Academy  within one year of employment.

The city offers lateral candidates a $10,000 signing bonus, a 40-hour sick leave bank and a 40-hour personal leave bank. Lateral police officer candidates must pass a panel interview.

• Polygraph examination
• Psychological evaluation
• Extensive background investigation
• Medical examination/drug screening

An applicant's failure to meet the criteria in any phase constitutes grounds for disqualification.