Testing Information

2013 Testing Dates in Kennewick:

May 20
August 19
October 7

Check in at 8:00 AM
Physical Agility Test at 8:30 AM
Video/Written test at 12:30 PM

Located at Kennewick Activity Center; 304 1/2 W 6th Avenue.
Oral Board will be scheduled at a later date.

View our  KPD Recruitment Brochure for qualifications, testing process, contact information, officer pay scale, benefits and specialty positions.

Testing for entry and lateral level positions are conducted by the National Testing Network.  You must start your application process through NTN.  To apply visit National Testing Network (Check NTN for additional testing dates at the Mukilteo testing site)

THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION

Physical Ability Test: Detailed information about the physical ability test requirements is available on the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission website. The test is the same one required by WSCJTC to be eligible to attend the training academy. It is recommended that candidates familiarize themselves in advance so that they are physically prepared to meet the requirements of this test. Those who pass this test will continue on to the next two tests on the same date.

Reading/Grammar Test: This is designed to assess the ability of the candidate in such areas as reading comprehension, spelling, and sentence structure.

Video Assessment Test: This is a behavioral-based video test that measures inter-personal skills of the candidate. 

Incident Observation and Report Writing Skills:  This video test allows us to access your general ability in observing am incident and writing a report.

Oral Board: Those candidates who successfully complete the physical, reading and video portions of the exam will be scheduled for an oral board at a later date. The oral board will consist of a panel of officers as well as a representative from Human Relations. The candidate will field questions from the board who will score their answers. Oral board scores will later be combined with scores from the other three test phases for a final overall ranking of the candidate. This list is later presented to the Civil Service Commission and certified before being forwarded to the Administrative Sergeant to begin the background investigation.

Human Resources will send a background investigation packet to successful candidates on the list. Instructions for this packet are included, and the packet must be returned within a designated deadline so that the background process can begin.

Background Investigation: Upon receipt of the background packet from the candidate, the Administrative Sergeant reviews the contents and will contact each applicant to make arrangements for a background investigation interview. This interview will lay the foundation for the investigation to proceed.

Following this interview, successful candidates will be scheduled to proceed to the polygraph examination, probably within a week or two. Following this examination, the background investigation will continue, to include contacting prior residences, employers, and references that you have listed.

The background investigation takes some time, so please be patient. Successful candidates will later be scheduled for a Hiring Interview with the Command Staff at the police department. This is a formal interview that must take place before any conditional offers of employment can be made. Once such an offer is extended, it is followed by appointments for a physical examination as well as a psychological examination, both of which are conducted in the Tri Cities area.

The Training Process: After a short orientation period at the police department, new officers are scheduled to attend the Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) at either Seattle or Spokane. This is a 720-hour curriculum and requires diligence and commitment to successfully complete it. Details on what the curriculum entails can also be found on the WSCJTC web site.

Following graduation, officers then return to the police department to begin an intensive Police Training Officer (PTO) program, utilizing trainers at the Kennewick Police Department. This consists of fourteen weeks of training. At the conclusion of this, the officer must demonstrate that he or she is ready to patrol while solo in his or her patrol car. The probationary officer will still be monitored by other officers and a shift supervisor. The probationary period of the officer is 18 months.

Lateral-Entry Police Office Positions:
To qualify as a lateral-entry officer for the City of Kennewick you must meet the requirements listed below:

REQUIREMENTS:

 • Current Peace Officer certification in Washington State.

• Minimum of four years police experience in Washington State.

• Successful completion of the Lateral packet.

• Minimum score of 80% in the Command Staff oral board.

Prior to the oral board the candidate would have to successfully complete the background investigation, polygraph, as well as the state physical agility test. When a conditional job offer is extended it would require successful completion of the medical and psychological test. 

2013 Salary Information

Career Development Program 

Police Officer First Class Add 2.5% to Salary $6,788
Senior Police Officer Add 6.0% of Salary $7,019
Master Police Officer Add 10.0% to Salary $7,284

To request the Lateral application packet, Email janelle.domarotsky@ci.kennewick.wa.us or call (509) 585-4240.

Feel free to direct any inquiries about the background investigation or hiring process to mark.weber@ci.kennewick.wa.us