Entry-Level Candidates: 

1. Entry-Level Police Officer candidates need to register with Public Safety Testing to schedule a time and date for the written exam and physical agility exam. Please visit their website for additional information regarding these tests and to schedule an appointment.
2. Scores from all candidates passing both the written exam and physical agility exam will be forwarded to the City of Lake Stevens.
3. Candidates will be invited to complete a Police Officer employment application. 
4. Candidates will be placed on a ranked eligibility register. Rank is determined by the candidate’s written score from Public Safety Testing plus any additional percentage allowed by law (e.g., Veterans Scoring Criteria).
5. When the Police Chief seeks to fill a vacancy, he may consider hiring any of the top five candidates on the eligibility register, which may include a personal interview with the Chief of Police, a background investigation, a polygraph test, a medical examination, a psychological examination, and other examinations or processes that may be necessary.

Entry Level-Advanced Candidates:

• Entry-Level (Advanced) candidates must complete an application.
• Currently attending the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's (WSCJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA); OR
• Have graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s (WSCJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) but have not completed the Field Training program (FTO) of a city, county, state, or federal law enforcement agency.

Lateral (Experienced) Candidates: 

An experienced Police Officer is a currently employed, full-time, civilian law enforcement officer with a city, county, or state law enforcement agency who is eligible to attend, or has successfully completed, the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s (CJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA); or has previously worked in that capacity within the last 24 months, or whose prior training qualifies them to attend the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission’s Basic Law Enforcement Equivalency Academy.

1. Lateral (Experienced) candidates must complete an application.
2. Lateral applications will be reviewed for minimum qualifications and proof of experience.
3. Qualified Lateral applicants may be invited to participate in a written exam and/or oral interview process.
4. Candidates passing the oral board interview will be placed on a ranked eligibility register. Relative rank is determined by the Lateral candidate’s combined score received on the written exam and the oral board interview, plus any additional percentage allowed by law (e.g., veterans’ scoring criteria).
5. When the Police Chief seeks to fill a vacancy, he may consider hiring any of the top five candidates on the eligibility register, which may include a personal interview with the Chief of Police, a background investigation, medical examination, and other examinations or processes that may be necessary.

See the list of Police Officer disqualifiers for the City of Lake Stevens.