Lateral Police Officer

Lateral Police Officer

The Bellingham Police Department is seeking experienced law enforcement officers to join our team. Why should you apply as a lateral officer with the Bellingham Police Department?

Lateral officers receive advanced salary placement and vacation accrual based on completed years of service – capped at 10 years of service. Patrol Officers work a 1040 work schedule of five, 10.7 hour days on, four days off, five days on, four days off, five days on, five days off, repeating monthly. Training opportunities, the 1040 work schedule allows for one full training day a month. Additional monthly premiums may be applied per assignment and level of education. For more information regarding salaries, benefits and specialty units, view our lateral recruitment page.

This position performs fully responsible, professional, general duty police work in the protection of life and property through the enforcement of laws and ordinances. After a period of formal and on-the-job training, employees in this class are responsible for independent law enforcement duties ranging from average to considerable difficulty and performed under general supervision of a sergeant or other ranking officer.

Work normally involves patrolling in an unaccompanied automobile, motorcycle, bicycle or foot patrol, and/or conducting detailed criminal investigations, traffic regulation, or community policing activities in a designated area on an assigned shift. Work involves a substantial element of danger and requires the responsible exercise of appropriate judgment in meeting critical emergency situations. Employees are sworn to act in behalf of the Police Department and the City of Bellingham and carry firearms in the performance of their duties.

Employees may be directed to work on, lead, or plan special projects or assignments which call upon specialized abilities and knowledge attained through experience as a uniformed officer. Work of this class may be reviewed by superior officers via personal inspection, reviews of reports and/or oral discussion.

This position is represented by the Police Guild bargaining unit. Specific benefit information including Holidays, Vacation Accruals, Health, Dental and Vision Plans with cost sharing and Deferred Compensation Match can be found in the Police Guild labor agreement. This position is covered by the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems LEOFF plan. LEOFF requires mandatory employee and City contributions. Please visit the DRS website for more information on LEOFF.

This position is subject to the Bellingham Civil Service Commission. When a vacancy occurs, the top fifteen candidates or the top 25% of the register will be forwarded to the department for further consideration. All new Civil Service employees are subject to a one-year probationary period.