Lateral Police Officer

Join Team APD as a Lateral Police Officer

Up to $30,000 lateral hiring bonus and take home car program

The Auburn Police Department (APD) is seeking experienced, motivated, and service-driven law enforcement professionals to join our team as Lateral Police Officers. This is an opportunity to serve a continuously growing community within a modern, well-resourced police department that values professionalism, trust, integrity, and officer wellness. Our community is policed by professional officers who are not afraid to bravely stand up to danger and adversity.

Officers serve with a noble purpose and make decisions based on trust and honesty. All employees of the APD are committed to providing exceptional customer service to the citizens we serve.

As a Police Officer at APD, you will perform meaningful, challenging work that directly impacts community safety and quality of life. Team APD supports its officers with competitive compensation and benefits, wellness resources, specialty assignments, and clear pathways for career advancement. The department is comprised of 150 staff to include:
Chief of Police, Assistant Chief, Five (5) Commanders, 13 Sergeants, 108 Officers/Detectives, 16 Non-Commissioned staff, a Crime Analyst, Public Information Officer, Wellness Program Designer, and three (3) Administrative Assistants.

This is a full-time position represented by the Police Officers Guild with a current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) effective 1/1/25 - 12/31/27. The salary listed on the announcement is the base salary, and the salary upon hire will be based on your months of service as a commissioned officer. Officers also have opportunities to receive additional compensation and pay incentives based on multiple factors, as outlined in the CBA.

These include longevity pay starting after five (5) years of service, bilingual pay after completing field training and proving proficiency through a bilingual exam, and education pay for police-related Associate or Bachelor (or higher) degrees. Many specialty assignments also come with premium pay, starting at 2% of the straight-time hourly base rate. Officers may have multiple specialty assignments, but at no time will an officer receive more than 10% premium pay from these assignments.

To move forward in our process, you must:

• Possess a High School Diploma, or equivalent (GED)
• Be a United States citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or be a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient
• Be at least 20-1/2 years of age at the time of application
• Be able to fluently read and write the English language using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Be able to meet all Civil Service Rules and Regulations, including the physical requirements listed in Rule 21.01
• Possess a valid driver's license, without impending loss at the time of appointment
• Be a Basic Law Enforcement Training graduate, or equivalent, as accepted by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission

If selected to move forward, you must:

• Be 21 years of age by your appointment date/date of hire
• Be able to provide documentation necessary to confirm equivalency as required by WAC (linked above)
• Successfully complete and pass a thorough background investigation which will include, but is not limited to, a suitability assessment, reference checks and employment verifications, polygraph examination, credit check, driving abstract review, drug screening, psychological interview, fingerprinting, Chief's interview, and pre-employment physical examination.

If hired, you must:

• Qualify quarterly for firearms
• Obtain a First Aid/CPR certification annually
• Obtain and maintain a BAC verifier certification
• Qualify for Access Certification

Automatic disqualifiers are available upon request.

Lateral Categories & Hiring Bonuses

Lateral Police Officer: Successfully completed a state-certified Basic Law Enforcement Academy (WA State or equivalent) and has at least one year of experience as a commissioned police officer.

• Hiring Bonus = $30,000

Certified Entry-Level Lateral Police Officer: Successfully completed a state-certified Basic Law Enforcement Academy (WA State or equivalent) and has less than one year…