The information herein is provided by the respective agency and is only as accurate and as up-to-date as the agency representative(s) update this information. PST is not responsible for the veracity of this data as it is provided directly from the agency. It is ultimately the applicant's responsibility to verify any information about the agency with the agency.
Auburn Police Department - Police Officer
Last updated on June 27, 2025
PST Partner Agency since February 20, 2014
Vacancies: 12
Community Information
The City of Auburn was incorporated in 1891 and has grown into a diverse community including citizens living in both King County and Pierce County. In addition, parts of the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation are also within the boundaries of the City of Auburn. With a population of approximately 87,000 people covering almost 30 square miles, the City of Auburn is the 14th largest city in the state of Washington. The City of Auburn is home to residential, commercial and warehousing areas.
Department Information
Join the Auburn Police Department where you can make a
difference in the community you serve, that’s small enough where you can be a
part of cases from start to finish, and busy enough to challenge you, keep you
constantly learning, and provide professional fulfillment!
Being a part of the Auburn Police Department isn’t just
another job - it’s an opportunity to start and build your career in policing
and public safety. Earn a spot on (and get pay incentives for): Civil
Disturbance Unit, Crime Scene Team (incentive Pay of double time when called),
Community Response Team (2%), Firearms Instructor (2%), TAC Officer (2%),
Motorcycle Patrol (3%), Collision Investigator (3%), K-9 Officer (3%), Bicycle
Patrol (3%), Hostage Negotiator (3%), Valley SWAT (3%), Certified Bi-lingual
(3%), Mall Officer (3%), School Resource Officer (3%), Detective (4%), Valley Independent
Investigation Team (4%), Field Training Officer (5%), and Defensive Tactics
Instructor (6%).
Initial assignment will be to the Patrol division where
patrol officers work a 10-hour shift; 4 days on, 3 days off, with days off
rotating every four months. The days off rotate in a way that allows you to
have a portion of the year with weekends off or having holidays off with
family. Officers bid for shifts on an annual basis.
We are committed to helping our Officers grow through
continuous training opportunities, including at our outdoor firearms range, a
mentoring program, shadowing Detectives or other specialties, and promotional
track. A new Officer’s base salary starts at $104,468 per year and will
increase to $127,00 7 after five years (with longevity). We also offer pay
incentives if you have an associate’s degree (4%), bachelor’s or master’s
degree (6%) or if you want to continue your education while on the force we
offer tuition reimbursement.
The Auburn Police Department is state accredited with WASPC
and has 150 employees.
Area Information
County: King & Pierce
Population: 90,000
# of Staff: 140
Hiring Status
Auburn Police Department - Police Officer has 12 vacancies.
Number of Current Vacancies: 12
Candidates who pass the written test with Public Safety
Testing (PST) with a score of 70% or higher, will be invited to official
apply on our website.
Applicants are invited to interview after a background
screening form is completed. For those
that pass their oral board interview, their names would be added to our Entry Level
Police Officer eligibility list. The
eligibility is a continuous listing. An
entry officer position is covered under Civil Service Rules. Candidate information is forwarded to the
appointing authority for background investigation & selection as vacancies
occur.
If you would like to claim veteran's preference points for
your Oral Board Interview, you can fill out the applicable form and return it
along with your background screening form and supporting documentation (DD214
or Statement of Service). This will be provided to you at the interview
step in our recruitment process.
Additionally, at the interview step, applicants who can furnish evidence of the
following can potentially have up to a maximum of 15 points added to their
final score/grade, provided the applicant has received a minimum passing
score/grade (70%) on their interview:
5% for
educational qualifications: Bachelor's or higher degree in Criminal
Justice (Law and Justice, Society and Justice), Sociology, Criminology,
Psychology, Business, Political Science, Public Administration, or other
police related degree as reasonably determined by the Chief Examiner from
any accredited four-year college.
5% for
2 or more years professional or volunteer experience in the Peace Corp,
AmeriCorps, DV counseling, mental or behavioral health care, homeless
programs, or other social services professionals.
5% for
proficiency in one language other than English. Testing is required
and proof of proficiency must be provided by the candidate.
Information on testing will be furnished upon request.
10%
for proficiency in two or more languages other than English. Testing
is required and proof of proficiency must be provided by the
candidate. Information on testing will be furnished upon request.
The percentage shall be added to the passing score/grade,
until the candidate's first appointment.
These preference points may not be used in promotional
examinations.
*Note*
10% to
a candidate who has obtained full professional proficiencyor
who is completely fluent as a native speaker in two ormore
languages other than English.
5% to
a candidate who has obtained full professional proficiency or
who is completely fluent as a native speaker in onelanguage other
than English.
Salary Information
$104,468 to $124,517 annually
Benefit Information
WHY CHOOSE THE CITY OF AUBURN?
Competitive salary with scheduled step increases on an annual basis
Excellent medical, dental, and vision plans with employee premiums paid by the City
Employer contributions to the State Retirement System pension plans
Paid holidays as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement
VEBA (tax-free health reimbursement account)
Optional Flexible Spending benefit plans
Deferred Compensation plan options; both pre-tax and Roth (post-tax) plan options
Officer Wellness Program
City-wide Employee Wellness Program
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
$5,000 HIRING BONUS!
**TAKE HOME CAR PROGRAM**
Officers have opportunities to receive the following additional compensation and pay incentives:
Education(4% police-related Associate's degree; 6% Bachelor's or higher degree)
Longevity Pay starting after 5 years of service
Overtime opportunities
Specialty Assignment pay ranging from 2% to 6%
And more!
For more information about what benefits the City provides, pleaseCLICK HERE!
Auburn Police Department - Police Officer Requirements
Category
Requirement
Required at time of...
Test
Hire
Written Examination
Yes, required
LEO/CO Physical Ability Test (PAT)
Yes, required
Your physical ability test must be completed 180 days (~6 months) before or after your passing written exam.
PST Personal History Statement
Yes, required within 14 days of passing required exam(s)
Minimum Age
20 1/2 years old.
Citizenship
US Citizen / Lawful Permanent Resident / DACA-Recipient
High School Grad/ GED
Yes
Driver's License Required
Yes
Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult
Disqualifier
Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language
Yes
Other Preference Points
Yes, preference points will be awarded to those who qualify related to Language Proficiency (other than English), Volunteer or Professional Experience, and/or Education Qualifications (Bachelor degree or higher)
Multiple Scores from Same Applicant
We only consider the most recent score
Request/Access Scores
On an as-needed basis as vacancies occur
Auburn Police Department - Police Officer Disqualifiers
The following are automatic and potential disqualifiers. Applicants should not apply to our agency if they indicate any of the automatic disqualifiers. Potential disqualifiers will be considered on a case by case basis.
Category
Disqualifier
Driving
Automatic
3 or more traffic crime convictions in last 10 years (DWI, Suspended, Reckless, etc.).
Potential
Pattern of speeding tickets or other driving infractions
Drug Usage
Potential
Any other history or pattern of drug use outside these standards will be considered on a case by case basis.
Potential
Any other history or pattern of drug use outside these standards will be considered on a case by case basis.
Automatic
Simulants: use of ANY stimulants, such as methamphetamines, crank, crystal, ice, speed, or glass, within the past three (3) years (and taken in a experimental capacity only).
Automatic
ANY use of Fentanyl within a lifetime.
Potential
Illegal use of inhaled aerosols (sometimes referred to gas huffing, or nitrous) will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Criminal Activity
Automatic
Any adult felony conviction.
Automatic
Any misdemeanor, or felony conviction, while employed in a criminal justice capacity (including volunteer, intern, Explorer, and reserve positions).
Automatic
Any conviction of any crime under a domestic violence statute.
Automatic
Unlawful sexual misconduct.
Automatic
Any single theft of property or money in excess of $100 value within the past five (5) years.
Employment
Automatic
Dishonorably discharged from the United States armed forces.
Automatic
Lying or intentionally omitting information during any stage of the hiring process.
Automatic
Falsified your application, personal history packet, or any other forms during the hiring process.
Financial
Potential
Failure to pay income tax or child support will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Potential
Current credit accounts, or unresolved accounts in collection will be carefully reviewed.
Automatic
Pattern of bankruptcy, repossessions, late payments, and/or bills in collections, or excessive debt.
Other
Automatic
Anger Issues: pattern of fighting (in workplace, socially, or at home); pattern of insubordination.
Automatic
Criminal Association: maintaining friendships or living with persons engaged in criminal activity.
Automatic
Deception: Honesty and integrity are essential traits for a successful career in Law Enforcement. Any false statements, lack of candor, cheating, or failure to fully divulge requested information may result in immediate disqualification from the hiring process.
Automatic
The following body decorations are prohibited: split or forked tongues, foreign objects inserted under the skin to create a design or pattern, enlarged or stretched out in the ears, and dental ornamentation. Visible piercings, other than those in the ear(s) and nose, that do not present a professional image are also prohibited. Ear(s) and nose piercings may not be allowed while in uniform if they present a safety issue.
Contact Information
Auburn Police Department - Police Officer
340 East Main Street Suite 201
Auburn, WA 98002
King & Pierce County 253-931-3040
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
Please check back here frequently and ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay updated.
PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at contact@publicsafetytesting.com. We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.