Police Officer - Entry Level

Job Overview The Eugene Police Department (EPD) is a progressive, professional law-enforcement agency that serves the city of Eugene, Oregon. In fulfillment of the public trust, the Eugene Police Department works in partnership with our community to promote safety and security, enforce laws, prevent crimes, and safeguard the constitutional rights of all people. Application Deadline Monday, October 12, 2026 at 5 p.m P.T. Application Process Accepting Online Applications Only. Beginning on August 20, 2026 EPD is seeking new candidates to come serve with us. Invitations to the testing phase of the recruitment process will be sent on a rolling basis to those applicants with a complete application who qualify. If you'd like to be eligible to receive an early invitation to schedule your testing, please make sure to submit your complete application as soon as possible. By submitting your application early, you will also be provided access to a paid practice test and a testing study guide as well as the opportunity to participate in an ORPAT practice session. Please find additional information about the Eugene Police Department’s police officer hiring on our website, hiring.eugenepolice.com under the suitcase icon or jobs information. We run the testing process with a “first-come, first-served” approach to provide candidates a quick and efficient recruitment process. Our recruiting process takes approximately 90 days from the date of testing to the first day of employment. For applicants who are not local to the City of Eugene, we only require one trip to the Eugene area for testing and interview. If you are successful in testing, interview, and the background process, we will issue a conditional job offer before giving you the option to return to the area again for the psychological evaluation and medical exam. If you are unable to return for the psychological evaluation and medical exam, we can accommodate other options. Position Responsibilities This position performs a variety of law enforcement duties; first responder to incidents; serves as direct link between the department and the public; responds to, and investigates, incident scenes; assesses appropriate actions to incidents; patrols assigned areas; enforces laws and ordinances; makes arrests; preserves crime scene evidence; summarizes events in report format; and performs preventative community policing for diverse neighborhoods. Applications received during this application period will be considered for a February 8, 2027 hire date. Salary Range All Entry-Police Officers will start at Step 1. Applicants with a minimum of 3 years of full-time police service experience, exercising police powers at a City (Municipal), County or State police agency responsible for responding to emergency 9-1-1 calls, can apply to the Lateral Police Officer posting. Salary Step Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4Step 5 Step 6 Hourly Rate* $38.87$40.79$42.77$44.92$47.19$49.55Entry Level All Entry Level ---------- Bilingual Pay Benefit: This position qualifies for up to an additional 5% of base salary for bilingual pay. Please see “Supplemental Information” at the end of the posting for more information. Benefits Benefits: The City of Eugene offers robust and competitive benefits. For more info, click the Benefits Tab, or visit this summary page as well as this benefits package page. Work Location Eugene Police Department 300 Country Club Rd. Eugene, OR. Must reside within 45 minutes of Eugene, OR Schedule Must be able to work various shifts, nights, weekends and holidays. Officers assigned to a patrol team are currently working a 4/10 work schedule. Emergency response time for a Police Officer requires reporting to work and being ready for duty within 45 minutes of notification. Union Representation Eugene Police Employees’ Association (EPEA) Living & Working in Eugene For more information on living in Eugene, how the City of Eugene operates, and more, visit this page. Examples of Duties Performed To view detailed information on the duties, knowledge, and abilities that may be expected for this position, please see the classification: Police Officer Qualifications Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they are able to perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes with relevant transferrable skills from a variety of sources and experiences. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role. When screening your application, the City will consider an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to meet minimum qualifications for this position. Minimum Qualifications At least 21 years of age by February 26, 2027 No felony convictions. No Class A Misdemeanor convictions within 24 months of application Must be able to work various shifts; nights, weekends, and holidays. Officers assigned to a patrol team are currently working a 4/10 work schedule Must meet State requirements including vision, hearing, and standards for basic certification as a law enforcement officer by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). To view the standards set by DPSST for certification view Oregon Administrative Rule 259-008-0010. Education High school diploma or GED Experience Two years of work experience, college coursework, or military experience. License and Certificate A valid Oregon driver's license, or ability to obtain by date of hire; must pass driving records check and, if hired, maintain a driving record that meets the City's standard. Oregon law requires that an of-state license holder must obtain a valid Oregon license (with appropriate endorsements) within 30 days of becoming domiciled in the state (ORS 803.355). CPR certification within twelve months of appointment. Background Investigation MUST PASS A POLICE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION. Please view this list of documents that will be requested as part of the background investigation and see Oregon Administrative Rule 259-008-0010 and 259-008-0015 for more information. Emergency response time for a Police Officer requires reporting to work and being ready for duty within 45 minutes of notification. Physical & Drug Screening Must pass a physical assessment and drug test. DRUG SCREEN, HEARING TEST and VISUAL ACUITY TEST - as required by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST). To view the standards set by DPSST for certification, please visit DPSST's website and view Oregon Administrative Rule 259-008-0011. Successful applicants will be required to sign a statement agreeing to refrain from using tobacco products while on duty. Selection Process Dates at a Glance ORPAT practice sessions Saturday, September 19, 2026 9-11 a.m. (optional) Apply by September 17, 2026 to get more information about the ORPAT practice session. Written test* and ORPAT Saturday, October 17, 2026. The City reserves a right to select candidates from a standby list for available testing sessions. Weapons and backpacks are not allowed at any portion of the testing process. You may be subject to a search when entering a facility for testing. Interviews: October 18-20, 2026 (Sunday-Tuesday.) Out of state applicants will be given preference for interviews on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Full Background completed by December 17, 2026 Chief Interview: December 23, 2026 Psychological Evaluation and Medical Exam: December 28, 2026-January 4, 2027 Projected Date of Hire: February 8, 2027 City of Eugene requires all candidates to test directly with the City of Eugene for the written and physical abilities test each recruitment process. At this time, we are not able to accept prior results, National Testing Network results, or results from other agencies. Eligibility List This posting may also be used to establish an eligibility list of applicants for future vacancies. Candidates that are placed on the eligibility list will be notified via email which will include the duration of the list and how notification of call up will occur. Salaries And Fringe Benefits Recruit Police Officers receive a beginning annual salary of $80,849.60 annually; with experience, education, and training officers can advance to the top step of $103,064.00 annually. After three years of employment, officers are eligible for premium pay for education and certification. Premium pay can be worth up to 19.5% of an officer's base salary. Up to 5% shift differential. Salary And Benefits Per the EPEA Contract, the City shall pay an employee at 5% of base wages for a required intermediate or advanced level competency. To qualify for bilingual pay, the employee must have demonstrated fluency in the required language and successfully pass a fluency examination administered by the City's Employee Resource Center division. For full benefit information including retirement benefits, please view our benefits summaries and see all employee benefits. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The City of Eugene is committed to a respectful work environment. We value the cultural, educational, and life experiences of each employee. We believe that a diverse workforce enables us to deliver culturally responsive services to all members of our community. As part of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion we desire to welcome, respect, and create a sense of belonging for a wide range of identities and experiences in our workforce. Women, people with disabilities, and persons of color are strongly encouraged to apply. The City of Eugene complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Any applicant with a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request accommodation by contacting an employment coordinator at View phone number on click.appcast.io. In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the City of Eugene will request all eligible candidates who accept employment with the City to provide documentation to prove they are eligible for employment in the United States. If a job posting indicates this position is temporary (not limited duration) then the employee serves at will. Temporary employees do not receive benefits through the City of Eugene unless required by City, State or Federal code/statute. Representation Employees in this classification are represented by the Eugene Police Employees' Association (EPEA), and their salaries may be subject to a monthly payroll deduction after 31 days of employment. Supplementary Questionnaire 01 The supplemental questionnaire is scored and will be used to determine if you will proceed to the next phase of the selection process. Provide detailed answers to each question. Please do not reference your resume or application in your responses. Please use your own words to reflect your understanding when replying to the questions. Communication about our hiring process is primarily done through email and it is recommended to check your email OR governmentjobs.com account regularly after submitting your application. I understand yes no 02 We are a continuous, 24-hour a day, 365 days-a-year operation. As an employee, you will be required to work all shifts including weekends and holidays (this includes major holidays such as July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and/or New Year's Day). Are you available to work holidays and weekends? yes no 03 Are you available to work ALL shifts (day, swing, and graveyard)? yes no 04 Do you have a high school diploma or GED? yes no 05 State law requires compliance with certain standards to become certified as a Police Officer. These include being 21 years of age. Will you be at least 21 years of age by February 26, 2027? yes no 06 The job duties for this position require a background check. As an adult, have you ever been convicted for an offense other than a minor traffic violation? yes no 07 If you answered "yes" to the previous question, you must complete this question. If you answered "no" to the previous question, please indicate "n/a". List the date(s) of the conviction(s), the location(s) the offense(s) occurred, and describe the nature of the offense(s). PLEASE NOTE: A previous conviction does not automatically disqualify an applicant from consideration for employment with the City of Eugene. Depending on a variety of factors (for example, the nature of the position, the nature of the conviction, age of the candidate when the illegal activity occurred), a candidate with a conviction may still be eligible for employment with the City of Eugene. This information is only considered at the appropriate time in the hiring process and candidates will be given the opportunity to discuss this information as appropriate. 08 Are you a certified Police Officer yes no 09 If you answered YES to the previous question, please provide the following information regarding your certification: State Certification Number Level of Certification. If you answered NO, please enter n/a. 10 The Entry Level Officer position with the City of Eugene requires two years of work experience or college coursework, or military experience. Do you meet these qualifications? (PLEASE NOTE: ALL INFORMATION REGARDING VOLUNTEERISM AND EMPLOYMENT WILL BE VERIFIED DURING THE BACKGROUND PROCESS.) yes no 11 Are you conversant in Spanish? yes no 12 If YES, please indicate your level of fluency in speaking, reading, and writing. 13 Are you conversant in any language other than English, including American Sign Language (ASL) or British Sign Language (BSL)? If YES, please indicate what language and your level of fluency and/or skill level. 14 The Eugene Police Department strives to employ individuals who can provide exemplary service in our community. Describe your experience that has prepared you to work effectively with people from diverse cultural, racial, social, economic backgrounds, alternative communities, and persons with disabilities. Based on your experience, what actions would you take to provide exemplary service to these communities? What strategies would you use? What would you avoid? Required Question #J-18808-Ljbffr