Be Yourself at YPD

For New Officers…

Lateral Officers skip to Step 3

Step 1

Pass the initial written exam, with a score of at least 75%, and pass the physical agility tests conducted through Public Safety Testing.

step 2

Pass the application screening process and interview examination.

step 3

Pass an extensive background check, a medical exam, psychological exam and polygraph test.

step 4

Attendance and successful completion of 720 hours of state testing at the WA State Criminal Justice Training Center Basic Law Enforcement Academy.

step 5

Academy graduates enter the Field Training Program, partnering with an experienced officer for 14 weeks.

YPD Minimum Requirements…

All Officers:

  • 21 years of age or older
  • U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident
  • Good command of English, both written and verbal
  • High school graduate or equivalent
  • Maintenance of good physical condition throughout testing process and during employment
  • Good moral character and use of good judgment
  • Possess normal color vision, and visual acuity of not less than 20/100 in each eye, corrected to 20/20 in better eye and 20/30 in lesser eye
  • Able to meet and maintain department standards for firearm qualification and all applicable State and Federal laws to possess and carry a firearm

Lateral Officers (in addition to above):

  • Have been certified as a law enforcement officer in WA or another state
  • Have two years continuous law enforcement services in last three years
  • Out-of-state Laterals must successfully complete the two week WSCJTC Equivalency Course within one year of employment

Lateral officers also qualify for an expedited onboarding process.

Potential Disqualification Guidelines – Drug Usage

The following actions may result in disqualification. However, YPD makes determinations on applications on a case-by-case basis.

  • Use of any illegal drug within the last year
  • Use of marijuana within the last year
  • Having ever injected amphetamines/methamphetamine
  • Having ever illegally used opiates/narcotics (heroin, morphine, etc.) or abused prescribed opiates/narcotics
  • Having ever used cocaine over five times regardless of timeframe 
  • Having ever injected cocaine
  • Having ever participated in the manufacturing, selling, offering to sell, distribution, or transporting for sale of any illegal drugs/narcotics, regardless of the timeframe
  • Having ever used any illegal drugs after submitting an application with any law enforcement agency and/or within the last five years
  • Having used non-prescribed oral or injectable steroids over five sequences/cycles within the last two years
  • Having used illegal drugs while employed by a law enforcement agency regardless of the timeframe
  • Having used marijuana/hashish over 15 times
  • Having used hallucinogenic drugs (mushrooms, LSD, PCP, etc.) in the past 10 years
  • Having used amphetamines/methamphetamine over five times
  • Having swallowed/sniffed/smoked illegal amphetamines or methamphetamine even one time
  • Having used crack cocaine even one time within the past five years
  • Having used free-based cocaine/paste even one time within the past five years

For more information about becoming a YPD Officer, contact:
Officer Hailie Meyers, Hailie.Meyers@yakimawa.gov, 509-575-3559 or HR Specialist Abbi Rhoads, Abigail.rhoads@yakimawa.gov, 509-576-6609

Other Opportunities at YPD

In addition to Police and Corrections Officers, YPD has non-commissioned positions, including Communications (911 and Dispatch), Police Services and Records, and Administrative functions. For more information on these positions, please visit the City of Yakima Job Descriptions.

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