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PORT TOWNSEND CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT AND CIVIL SERVICE TESTING INFORMATION

The City of Port Townsend will be accepting applications for Police Sergeant through September 18, 2026 to fill one vacancy.

Note: Completed application, cover letter, and resume are required.

Applications submitted without a cover letter and resume or not documenting the required qualifications below will not be considered.

Residency requirement: All police officers must reside within fifty (50) road miles of Port Townsend city limits within six months of hire date.

Full job description available here.

Required qualifications for external applicants 

• At the time of appointment, an Associate degree or 90 college credit hours toward a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college.
• 7 years of experience as a police officer, preferably with an agency in Washington State.
• Valid driver's license and ability to maintain a driving record acceptable to the City's insurance carrier.
• WA State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) or equivalent.
• Have not been separated from law enforcement for more than 60 months at the time of hire.
• Ability to complete CJTC's Pre-Supervisors course within six months of hire date.
• Ability to complete CJTC's First Level Supervision course within one year of hire date.

Preferred qualifications

• Sergeant or other supervisory experience.
• Completion of CJTC's Pre-Supervisors course.
• Completion CJTC's First Level Supervision course.

Placement in this position is subject to a thorough background investigation, FBI fingerprint and criminal history check, motor vehicle record check, polygraph exam, psychological evaluation, medical exam, and drug screen.

Benefits

• WA State LEOFF pension plan
• Optional 457 Deferred Comp with 50% match of up to 4% base earnings
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance through WA Teamsters Welfare Trust Fund *
• Time loss/short-term disability insurance
• Retirees' Welfare Trust funded by employee
• Life & AD&D insurance
• Sick leave (earns 1 day per month)
• May be eligible for sick leave conversion annually
• Vacation (graduated accrual schedule starts at 8 hours per month)
• 12 paid holidays accrued at 10 hours per month **
• Up to 5 days of bereavement leave, if applicable
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

COMPENSATION

Base pay: $53.40-58.40

Total compensation range: $53.40-67.51 per hour (including maximum potential longevity, educational incentive, and specialty pay)

This position may be eligible for the additional compensation listed below. Details can be found in the Collective Bargaining Agreement:

• Annual increases until at step 5
• Longevity pay on a graduated schedule starting at 1% after 2 years up to 9% after 20 years
• Educational incentive: 3% for Associate's degree; 5% for Bachelor's degree
• Overtime pay
• Compensatory time
• $165 per pay period to respond to off-duty phone calls
• Holiday pay (if scheduled or called in on a holiday)
• Specialty pay of 1% for assignment as detective 
• Jury duty pay at regular rate during service
• Call-back pay
• Plain clothes assignment and laundry allowance, when assigned by Chief

* Teamsters initiation fee is $100 and monthly dues are 2.25 of hourly wage x the base hourly rate rounded to the nearest dollar.

**Officers may be required to work on holidays.

Testing Process

Application Scoring

Applications will be scored based on several job-related factors including required qualifications and relevant work experience. The results of this application scoring are not factored into the final score. This is instead an examination that must be passed to proceed to the next step.

Supervisory Skills & Abilities Test

Candidate application scores will be ranked. Up to the top five candidates will be invited via email to participate in the supervisory skills and abilities test, currently scheduled for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the City of Port Townsend Police Department. Exact times to be determined closer to the testing date. Qualified internal applicants will be given priority for testing. As the City intends to limit testing to five candidates, in the event of a tie of application scores, the candidate with more years of relevant experience will be invited to continue in the process and take the test. Testing is in-person only; there will not be a virtual option. 

The test will be administered by Public Safety Testing (PST) and will include an inbox exercise, critical thinking practical scenarios, and a structured interview. Scoring will be based on: (1) interpersonal communication, (2) leadership and professional presence, (3) legal and procedural awareness, (4) problem solving and priority management, and (5) situational judgment and decision-making, with each scoring category receiving 20% of the final PST score. The following additional percentages be added to the final PST score:

• Associate Degree: 5%
• Bachelor's Degree: 5%
• 5 years' service as a police officer: 1.5%
• 10 years' service as a police officer: 3.5%
• 15 years' service as a police officer: 5%

Final scores will be ranked for placement on a promotional eligibility list which will be valid for 18 months. Candidates on the list will be eligible for additional interviewing and background process at the Police Chief's discretion, with one candidate selected to fill the current job opening.

Veterans Preference
RCW 41.04.010(3) states that certain veterans, as defined in RCW 41.01.007, may be eligible to receive a 5% scoring criteria status in promotional examinations until the first promotion only.  This applies only to veterans who were called to active military service from employment with the state or any of its political subdivisions or municipal corporations. Veteran's Scoring Criteria Status In Examinations Form (https://cityofpt.applicantpool.com/pages/veteranform/) and a copy of applicant's DD-214 must be provided with your application.

The City of Port Townsend is an equal employment opportunity employer. The City employs, retains, promotes, disciplines and otherwise treats all employees and job applicants strictly on the basis of job-related qualifications and competence. These policies and all employment practices shall be applied without regard to any individual's sex, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation (including gender identity), pregnancy, age, marital status, military status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.