Are you hiring?

The Federal Way Police Department was established in 1996. Those founding members have been retiring in recent years, which has caused consistent vacancies. Most of those retiring held leadership and specialty positions in the department, which has caused significant opportunities for advancement and specialization.

What are the qualifications to be considered a lateral officer?

1. Completed a state certified basic police academy that meets the minimum training requirements of the Washington Basic Law Enforcement Academy* (BLEA),

2. Successfully completed the field training program (FTO),

3. Successfully completed the probationary period,

4. Previous duties must be that of a “general authority” police officer,

5. Cannot have more than an 18 month break in service.

6. Cannot be on the “Brady List” in any jurisdiction.

*Lateral candidates who do not meet the BLEA standards may be required to attend the full academy.

How do I start the testing process?

For entry level applicants, schedule a written test and physical ability test (PAT) with Public Safety Testing (PST) Click here to visit PST

For lateral applicants, no physical ability test (PAT) is required. If you meet our lateral officer requirements, apply directly Click here to visit PST. An oral board will be scheduled in person or via Zoom.

When will I be called for an oral board?

Entry level candidates who have passed both the written test and PAT are invited to the oral board. Lateral applicants may be invited to the oral board following a passing. An invitation to the oral board is based on test score ranking. This is a competitive process, so only the highest passing test scores are considered. (Typically a score of 80 or higher are contacted) Only the Civil Service Examiner has access to test scores, so do not contact the police department to find out your ranking.