Police Officer - Entry Level​/Lateral

Join our City of Oak Harbor team to help build a legacy of commitment to excellence in diversity, equity, and inclusion in our vibrant waterfront community.

Policing....A call to duty. Are you up for the challenge? If you are looking for more than "just a job" and want to make a positive difference in your community every day, consider a career in law enforcement! Policing is a career with serious responsibilities and abounding rewards that really count in today's world. Few careers offer more opportunities for self-fulfillment than service as a law enforcement officer.

Do you have what it takes?

The Oak Harbor Police Department is an accredited agency comprised of:
Administration, Patrol, Detectives, and Special Operations. The authorized force consists of 29 Commissioned Personnel and 12 Non-Commissioned Personnel. The department is known for its successful community involvement and problem-solving approach to law enforcement. Additionally, the Police Department operates a city jail as part of its responsibilities, staffed by City Correctional staff and City Police Support Officers (PSOs). The department is proud of its increased commitment to training, including an internal bi-monthly training program, inter-agency training, as well as outside training opportunities for staff.

Other areas the department participates in include: a Community Advisory Board, Reserve Officer Unit, Explorer Post and Citizens Volunteers. The Department has strong cooperative relationships with local agencies and participates in regional law enforcement, communications and emergency management task forces and organizations. The department enjoys continued quality relationships with the U.S. Navy and the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station located in and adjacent to the City of Oak Harbor.

We take pride in providing services for our community and the variety of events which occur in the City each year, including: 4th of July, National Night Out, Oak Harbor Music Festival, and the Whidbey Island Marathon.

Officers work on a squad with a 3/12 schedule, rotating two months on days and two months on nights. Detectives work a 4/10 schedule.

The compensation begins with a pre-academy recruit level. We also offer education, longevity pay, and great benefits! (See benefits tab). We are a progressive department, anticipating department and community needs now and for the future!

Under general supervision, Police Officers perform police services in accordance with the mission, goals, and objectives of the Oak Harbor Police Department, and in compliance with governing federal, state, and local laws. It is the responsibility of police officers to safeguard the public peace, protect life and property, prevent crime, enforce the law, protect the rights of all persons and generally uphold the community-articulated standards.

• Respond to calls for service involving both criminal activity and community caretaking activities. Interview persons with complaints and make proper disposition or direct them to the proper authorities/community resources.
• Conduct preliminary and follow-up investigations, process crime scenes using all available techniques, gather evidence, obtain witness/victim/ suspect statements, apprehend suspects, make arrests and transport offenders.
• Give advice and general information to inquiries from the public.
• Practice efficient case management including the initial documentation of appropriate information, timely follow-up and case documentation, appropriate interaction with victims, cooperation with other agencies and departments and testifying as a witness in court in connection with arrests and investigations.
• Use available time to patrol the City by radio equipped car, bicycle or on foot to prevent, discover and deter the commission of crime, to enforce criminal law, to direct traffic and to enforce motor vehicle operation.
• Take proper safety precautions, which include the appropriate application of force, proper officer safety tactical movement and positioning and de-escalation and crisis management skills.
• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative relations with City officials, department heads, supervisors, other departments, co-workers, representatives of business and community as well as the general public. Respond to inquiries using good judgment, tact and courtesy, sometimes in stressful situations.
• Interact and communicate effectively…