Entry Level Police Officer

Original Job Posting Date:

2026-10-19

Entry Level Police Officer

Salary Range: $39.11 - $51.42 Hourly

Salem Police Department Core Values:

Collaboration | Honor | Integrity | Compassion

What are the minimum qualifications?

• Be at least 21 years old on the date of hire.
• Be a U.S. Citizen or have the ability to become one within 18 months of hire.
• Participate in competitive testing, including physical fitness testing, reading comprehension, writing skills, written, physical/vision, hearing, and psychological examinations, and be able to pass a strict Police Department background investigation.
• Must pass the pre-employment drug test (including marijuana).
• Must pass the pre-employment background check.
• Oregon's minimum standards to work as a law enforcement officer and background disqualifiers can be found in OAR 259-008.
• Must be able to work periodic overtime and a variety of 24-hour rotating shifts, including holidays and weekends.
• High School graduate or have completed a G.E.D.
• Hiring managers do not have access to view resumes as part of the application review process; please make sure to give detailed information in your application that includes your experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as requested in the supplemental questions and job advertisement.

Certifications/Licenses:

• Ability to complete departmental recruit training course and to gain eligibility for Basic Certificate issued by the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST).
• A valid Oregon driver's license, or out-of-state equivalent, 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 out-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).

What are the disqualifiers and eliminating factors?

• OAR 259-008.
• No felony convictions.
• No convictions for crimes involving domestic violence.
• No dishonorable discharge from any branch of military service.
• No more than three (3) traffic (moving) convictions in the last three (3) years.

For more information, please click here

Hiring Process:

Applicants must submit a completed application and provide valid tests results for NTN Frontline National Test (NTN) and Oregon Physical Agility Test (ORPAT) or an out-of-state PAT equivalent by November 27, 2026 to be considered in the hiring process.

NTN & ORPAT/PAT Requirements:

• 70% in Writing
• 70% in Reading
• 65% in Video/Media

Applicants must complete the ORPAT in 6:30 or less to pass. However, the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) requires a time of 5:30 or less for graduation.

Click here for practice tests. For exam scheduling assistance, visit NTN's job listing.

Click here for ORPAT preparation tips. For test scheduling, visit ORPAT scheduling.

Out-of-State Applicants: If you have a valid PAT test from another state or the military, you may submit your score with your application, provided it is less than 12 months old from the job announcement closing date.

Hired applicants are eligible for a $100 reimbursement for NTN and ORPAT testing costs.

About us:

The Salem Police Department is the 4th largest agency in the State of Oregon. We are a full-service department including many special teams. Our new facility is a 104,000 square foot building with many amenities for employees, including an indoor/outdoor break room and a workout room/locker room.

The City of Salem is the second largest City in the State of Oregon. Located in the lush Willamette Valley, Salem is the capital city of Oregon with a population of over 180,000. Centrally located, Salem is 47 miles south of Portland and an hour from the Cascade Mountains to the east and an hour from the ocean beaches to the west. Salem is an exceptional community for living and working with exciting new and comfortable, well-established neighborhoods and carefully preserved historic buildings.

A full-service City, Salem has eight primary departments:

Community Services, Finance, Fire, Enterprise Services, Legal, Police, Public Works, and Community Planning and Development. Several departments also have functional divisions within their department. The City has five labor unions and employs roughly 1,350 talented and dedicated staff members. The Urban Renewal Agency and the Salem Housing Authority are separate municipal corporations. The Agency contracts with the City for services and the Authority is led by the Housing Administrator within the Community Planning and Development department.

Where can I find out more about the position?

Go to the menu option for Class Specifications and search for Police Officer or view by clicking here.

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You may subscribe for automatic notifications of job openings at the City.

For more information about employment at the City of Salem, please visit our website at www.cityofsalem.net/jobs.

How can I apply?

The City of Salem invites individuals of all diverse communities and backgrounds to apply for our available job opportunities as we strive to provide the best service to everyone. The City of Salem is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all and has a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to and learning from each other, we are better able to serve the community.

To apply, click on the green "Apply" button to complete your application. Make sure that you specify how you meet the qualifications outlined in the class specification and complete the application.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications as outlined above but are not selected for this position may be placed on an eligibility list, and candidates may be hired from the list. Eligibility lists are valid for six months. The City will send email notifications to eligible candidates about potential hiring opportunities, so please ensure your email settings accept our system-generated email notifications.

EEO/Women, veterans, and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Contact Information:

Sgt. Robert Dowd

503-932-4517

policejobs@cityofsalem.net

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN IMPLIED CONTRACT AND MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE

Work Shift:

Benefits Information:

For benefits information, please, go to:

https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/jobs/employment-information/speu-police-employee-benefits

Hiring managers do not have access to view resumes as part of the application review process, so please make sure to give detailed information in your application that includes your experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as requested in the supplemental questions and job application.

In some cases, if we are unable to hire a qualified candidate for this classification, we may also consider candidates for related classifications.

If applicable for this posting, other job classifications that may be considered are listed below:

Police Officer

As applicable for this posting, the pay range(s) below include the combined hourly and/or salary ranges for all classifications listed above. The exact pay range will depend on the specific classification for which you are hired.

This position's estimated compensation is:

$0.00 - $0.00/

Job Type:

Department:

Robert Dowd)

Location:

Police

Opening Date:

2026-10-19

About us:

Salem is the second largest city in Oregon and the capital city. Centrally located in the Willamette Valley, Salem is 49 square miles in size and extends across to counties, Marion and Polk. The community has well-established neighborhoods and carefully preserved historic buildings with wide diversity and a family-friendly ambiance. The city is home to nearly 180,000 residents. For a full community profile detailing demographics and housing statistics, visit the City of Salem website.

The City of Salem organization has eight primary departments: Community Services, Finance, Fire, Enterprise Services, Legal, Police, Public Works, and Community Planning and Development. Several departments also have functional divisions within their department. The City of Salem employs roughly 1,350 talented and dedicated staff members and works collaboratively with five labor unions.

The Salem Police Department is the fourth largest agency in Oregon. We are a full-service department with myriad special teams and career advancement opportunities. In November 2020, the department moved into a modern 104,000-square-foot facility with many amenities for employees, featuring purposeful efficiency design for operations and amenities that promote employee wellness.

The Public Works Department values employees and their professional development. If you are someone that takes pride in collaborating on innovative ideas, proactively responding to community needs, and being a good environmental and financial steward, we look forward to meeting you! The Public Works Department promotes a healthy work life balance, while maintaining the utmost dedication to the health, safety, and welfare of our community, including our team!

The Urban Renewal Agency and the Salem Housing Authority are separate municipal corporations. The Agency contracts with the City for services and the Authority is led by the Housing Administrator within the Urban Development department.

How can I apply?

The City of Salem invites individuals of all diverse communities and backgrounds to apply for our available job opportunities as we strive to provide the best service to everyone. The City of Salem is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all and has a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that by welcoming differences, encouraging new ideas and views, listening to, and learning from each other, we are better able to serve the community.

Select the "Apply" button to complete your application. Make sure that you specify how you meet the qualifications outlined in the class specification and complete the application.

Applicants that meet the minimum qualifications as outlined above but not selected for this position may be placed on an eligibility list, and candidates may be hired from the list. Eligibility lists are valid for six months. The City will send email notifications to eligible candidates about potential hiring opportunities so please ensure your email settings accept our system generated email notifications.

You may subscribe for automatic notification of job openings at the City by setting up Job Alerts, you will receive an email confirming you want to Opt-In to Job Alert communications from the City of Salem.

For more information about employment at the City of Salem, please visit our Career Site.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT AN IMPLIED CONTRACT AND MAY BE MODIFIED OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE