How to Become a Police Officer in Washington State

To become a police officer in Washington State, you need to meet the eligibility rules in state law, get hired by a law enforcement agency, pass a full background investigation that includes a polygraph and psychological exam, complete the 720-hour Basic Law Enforcement Academy run by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC), and finish field training with your department. From first application to sworn officer, the process usually takes six months to more than a year, depending on how quickly the hiring agency moves.

Who Can Apply

Under RCW 43.101.095, an applicant must be verified as a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient.¹ Citizenship is not required.

Most agencies then add their own baseline: at least 21 years old, a high school diploma or GED, and a valid Washington driver’s license. RCW 41.12.070 requires civil service applicants to be able to read and write English, and lets agencies impose residency requirements within the state, the county, or an adjacent county.² Some departments require you to live in the hiring jurisdiction, others in any adjacent county, and some waive residency altogether. Check the specific agency before you apply.

Vision, Hearing, and Medical Standards

WAC 139-07 sets hard cutoffs. Vision must be correctable to 20/20, with uncorrected acuity of at least 20/40 in the stronger eye and 20/100 in the weaker eye. You need binocular vision and the ability to distinguish red, green, and yellow.³

Hearing loss cannot exceed 25 decibels in the better ear or 30 decibels in the weaker ear, measured at 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz.³ Corrective lenses and hearing aids are generally acceptable as long as you meet the corrected standards, but confirm with the hiring agency before committing to the process.

The Background Investigation

This is where most candidates either move forward or get cut. RCW 43.101.095 requires every agency to run a comprehensive background investigation covering criminal history, national decertification databases, disciplinary records from every prior law enforcement employer, social media, and any affiliation with extremist organizations.¹ Former employers have to respond to a written request within 30 days, including any misconduct complaints and the reason you left.

Under RCW 43.101.105, certain histories make certification impossible. The WSCJTC must deny or revoke certification for anyone convicted of a felony, a gross misdemeanor involving domestic violence, or any offense with sexual motivation. It also bars anyone prohibited from possessing weapons under state or federal law or a permanent court order.⁴

The same statute triggers mandatory decertification for accountability failures: using unlawful force that caused death or serious injury, witnessing excessive force and failing to intervene or report it, or knowingly filing false reports or hiding evidence. These reforms apply even if the officer resigned before being formally terminated.⁴

Drug History

WAC 139-07-020 tells agencies to evaluate whether an applicant’s conduct would jeopardize public trust, but the state sets no single rule on marijuana or other drug use.³ Individual departments write their own abstinence periods. As a general pattern, most require one to three years off marijuana and longer for harder controlled substances, but these are agency policies, not state mandates. Ask the department directly before assuming you qualify.

Financial and Driving Record

Credit history, unpaid debt, and driving record are all part of the review. They rarely disqualify you outright the way a felony conviction would, but a pattern of problems raises questions about judgment that an agency can weigh against you.

Polygraph and Psychological Exam

Both are required by RCW 43.101.095 as part of the background investigation.¹ The polygraph (or an equivalent assessment) verifies what you disclosed in your background packet, including past criminal activity and drug history, and must be administered by a qualified professional under WSCJTC standards.³

The psychological evaluation must be done by a psychiatrist or psychologist licensed in Washington, and it screens for emotional stability, judgment, and any condition that could impair performance.³ The hiring agency reviews and accepts the results of both.

Applying and Testing

Most Washington agencies use Public Safety Testing (PST) as their centralized entry point. PST runs a written exam covering reading comprehension, writing, and information processing, then distributes your scores to whichever agencies you select. Fees start at $65 for one or two agencies and rise by $20 per additional pair, up to $385.⁵ Some departments run independent processes through their own human resources office, with their own fees and timelines.

Candidates who pass the written test move to an oral board interview with a panel of law enforcement professionals, who ask scenario-based questions to gauge communication and judgment. Clearing the interview, background investigation, polygraph, and psychological exam produces a conditional offer, followed by the medical screening and Physical Ability Test before a final offer.

The Physical Ability Test

Before you can enter the academy, you have to pass the WSCJTC Physical Ability Test. There are three events, and you must hit the minimum on all three:⁶

At least 20 push-ups in 90 seconds
At least 25 sit-ups in 90 seconds
At least 35 squat thrusts in 3 minutes

There is a three-minute rest between push-ups and sit-ups, and a five-minute rest before the squat thrusts.⁶ The employing agency usually administers the PAT about two weeks before the academy starts. These numbers are the floor. Recruits who barely pass tend to struggle with academy conditioning, so train well above them.

The Basic Law Enforcement Academy

The Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) is the mandatory training program for every entry-level peace officer in Washington. It runs 720 hours over roughly five months.⁷ The curriculum covers criminal law, defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, crisis intervention, and community-focused policing under a guardian model.

You attend BLEA as a paid employee of your hiring agency, drawing salary and benefits throughout. Assignment to one of the WSCJTC’s five campuses depends on your department and class availability.

After graduation you enter your department’s field training program, working real calls under an experienced officer who evaluates your performance and eventually signs off on your readiness for solo patrol. Field training length varies by agency but commonly runs 12 to 16 weeks.

Certification and Keeping It

Finishing the academy does not, by itself, make you a certified officer. You submit a signed certification form to the WSCJTC, and the commission issues certification once eligibility is verified.⁸ Your agency must also certify that the background investigation was satisfactorily completed with no disqualifying findings.⁹p>

Certification is not permanent. Every certified officer must complete at least 24 hours of in-service training each year to keep it.¹⁰ The commission can deny, suspend, or revoke certification for failing to meet continuing education requirements.⁴

Already an Officer Elsewhere?

If you are certified in another state, or your Washington certification lapsed after a break in service of more than 24 but less than 60 months, you do not have to repeat the full 720-hour BLEA. Under WAC 139-05-210, Washington runs a Basic Law Enforcement Equivalency Academy (BLEEA) for lateral hires.¹¹

You cannot register for BLEEA on your own. A recognized Washington agency has to sponsor you and submit documentation covering prior training, a signed health statement, firearms qualification, and emergency vehicle operations training. Lateral recruits must attend the equivalency academy within six months of hire.¹¹ Military police training and federal training programs not approved by the commission do not count.

Pay and Veterans’ Preference

Entry-level annual salaries in Washington generally run from about $83,000 to $113,000, with larger metropolitan agencies at the upper end. You are paid from day one, including during the academy.

All commissioned officers are enrolled in the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ (LEOFF) Plan 2 retirement system, with normal retirement at age 53 after at least five years of service credit.¹²

If you served in the military, RCW 41.04.010 adds a measurable boost. Veterans who served during a period of war or armed conflict and do not receive military retirement benefits get a 10 percent preference added to their passing score on a competitive civil service exam. Veterans receiving military retirement benefits get 5 percent.¹³ The preference applies to the passing mark, so you still have to pass on your own, but it can lift you well up the hiring list.

1
Washington State Legislature. RCW 43.101.095
2
Washington State Legislature. RCW 41.12.070 – Qualifications of Applicants – Law Enforcement Agencies
3
Washington State Legislature. Chapter 139-07 WAC
4
Washington State Legislature. RCW 43.101.105
5
Public Safety Testing. Career Path
6
Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. The Physical Ability Test
7
Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Basic Law Enforcement Academy
8
Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Certification Information
9
Legal Information Institute. Washington Administrative Code 139-06-010 – Certification
10
Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission. Mandated 24-Hour In-Service Audit
11
Washington State Legislature. WAC 139-05-210
12
Department of Retirement Systems. LEOFF Plan 2
13
Washington State Legislature. RCW 41.04.010