Law Enforcement Officer Position

Centralia Police Department - Entry Level Police Officer

 

PROFILE DISCLAIMER

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.

Centralia Police Department - Entry Level Police Officer

Last updated on January 19, 2024
PST Partner Agency since February 06, 2023

Important Information

Please visit our website at https://www.cityofcentralia.com/Jobs.aspx for current employment opportunities.

Entry Level Applicants:

The Centralia Police Department is currently building an ongoing eligibility list. 

Community Information

Centralia is a community located midway between Portland and Seattle, on I-5. The City is the largest in Lewis County and has undergone significant re-development.

Department Information

The department currently has 31 commissioned officers and 8 support positions. The annual budget of the department is $5.5 million dollars. Officers in our department respond to more than 22,000 service requests in a year and produce more than 3,600 citations and arrests. Patrol officers currently work eleven-hour shifts with four days on and four days off.

Lateral Entry Applicants:

A minimum of one-year law enforcement experience, satisfactory completion of the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Academy or possess any state’s equivalent academy certificate, and have employment as a full-time law enforcement officer within twelve months prior to testing for this position.

Must be currently or recently employed as a peace officer in the State of Washington and hold such certification. Recently employed or out of state applicants must pass the CJTC Equivalency Academy within the required time frame. Please see the City of Centralia website www.cityofcentralia.com or visit City Hall at 118 W. Maple, Centralia, WA 98531 for detailed information on required qualifications and how to apply and/or test for this position. For questions call 360-623-8251. The City of Centralia is is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Area Information

County: Lewis
Population: 18,000
# of Staff:

Salary Information

$7,118 - $8,462 per month (2024 rates)

Benefit Information

12 Holidays (including two floating holidays); Sick leave - 1 day per month accrual, Vacation Leave - 8 hours to 16.66 hours per month depending on length of service, Teamsters Medical Plans, Life Insurance and Disability Plans; Deferred Compensation Program including city match of up to 6% of employee contribution, LEOFF Retirement System, Longevity Pay (1.5% to 4% of base salary), Education Incentive Pay (2% to 5% of base salary), Premium Pay (2% of base) for SWAT, Traffic, or Anti-Crime Team assignment; dual language (Spanish), or FTO, additional hourly pay per month for K-9 assignment; All uniforms and equipment furnished by the city; Personally assigned patrol vehicle (with take-home assignments in most cases).

Centralia Police Department - Entry Level 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.

Minimum Age 21
US Citizen/Lawful Permanent Resident US Citizen
High School Grad/ GED Yes
Driver's License Required Valid Washington State Driver's License
Felony Conviction(s) as an Adult

  • Any felony conviction as an adult
  • Any misdemeanor, or felony conviction while employed in a criminal justice capacity
  • Adult misdemeanor convictions will be carefully reviewed
  • Been convicted of any crime under a domestic violence statute
  • Unlawful sexual misconduct

Felony Conviction(s) as a Juvenile Will be carefully reviewed on a case by case basis
Ability to Read & Write the English Language Yes
Vision Requirements

  • 20/20 corrected better eye; 20/30 corrected worse eye

College Requirement No
Veterans Preference Points Yes
Multiple Scores from Same Applicant We only consider the most recent score
Request/Access Scores On an as-needed basis as vacancies occur

Centralia Police Department - Entry Level 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

  • 2 or more traffic crime convictions in the last 5 years (DUI, Suspended, Reckless, etc.)

Potential
  • Suspension on driver's license within past 3 years -  case by case basis
Automatic
  • 5 or more moving violations in the past 5 years
Drug Usage
Automatic
  • Illegal use of illegal drugs in the last 5 year(s), excluding marijuana
Automatic
  • Illegal use of ANY controlled substance while employed in a criminal justice capacity
Potential
  • No more than 2 uses total of a hallucinogen within the past 10 years on case by case basis
Potential
  • Other drug use outside these standards will be considered on a case by case basis
Automatic
  • No illegal sale of ANY drug, including marijuana
Automatic
  • Pattern of illegal use of prescription medication
Potential

  • Other: illegal use of marijuana within the last 2 years

Criminal Activity
Automatic


  • Any felony conviction as an adult

Potential
  • Felony conviction as a minor - case by case basis
Automatic
  • Any misdemeanor, or felony conviction while employed in a criminal justice capacity
Potential
  • Adult misdemeanor convictions will be carefully reviewed
Automatic
  • Been convicted of any crime under a domestic violence statute
Automatic
  • Unlawful sexual misconduct
Employment
Automatic


  • Been dishonorably discharged from the United States armed forces

Automatic
  • Lied during any stage of hiring process
Automatic
  • Falsified his or her application, personal history questionnaire, or any other forms during the hiring process
Automatic
  • Previous revocation or denial of (CJTC/POST) certified status, or suspension of current (CJTC/POST) certified status
Financial
Potential

  • Credit History/Patterns of Indebtedness on a case by case basis

Other
Automatic

Necessary Certifications:

  • Must pass State CJTC physical agility test.
  • Must pass polygraph screening.
  • Must pass psychological screening.
  • Must pass background screening.
  • Must have or be able to obtain basic law enforcement certification from the Washington State criminal Justice Training Commission.

Contact Information

Centralia Police Department - Entry Level Police Officer

P.O. Box 609
118 W Maple St.
Centralia, WA 98531 Lewis County
13606238251

Website


Agency Test Requirements
Written Examination: Yes, required
PAT: Yes, required