Application Process:
1. Test: Visit PublicSafetyTesting.com to participate in Law Enforcement Officer Testing. You must select City of Sumner to receive your scores when testing. The City utilizes a continuous testing process for entry level Police Officer positions. The City contracts with Public Safety Testing (PST) to administer both the written and physical agility portions of the selection process and an applicant must pass both before they can apply with the City. To find out more about testing with PST, please visit their website at www.publicsafetytesting.com as they have information regarding test dates as well as frequently asked questions.
A complete, updated Personal History Statement (PHS) is required prior to candidate being invited to participate in interviews. Candidates who provide an incomplete PHS or fail to submit a PHS to the City through Public Safety Testing will not be moved forward.
2. Apply: Apply directly with the City of Sumner through this online application.
3. Interview: After we have received your scores and your application, the City will contact you to participate in oral boards. Candidates are selected in rank order based on PST scores.
_________________________________
The City is establishing an Initial Eligibility List.
2026 Pay Range: $45.61 - $58.36 per hour plus potential for education premiums.
This position is a full-time, Fair Labor Standards Act position. The incumbent in this position is a Civil Service employee. This position is eligible for representation through the Police Guild.
Police Officer Position Hiring Levels:
Entry Level Police Officer: 0 years' experience as a fully commissioned law officer.
Exceptional Entry Police Officer: Less than 2 years' experience as a fully commissioned law officer, with no more than a 24 month break in service.
Lateral Police Officer: 2 or more years' experience as a fully commissioned law officer, with no more than a 24 month break in service.
About Sumner:
The City of Sumner’s vision is to set the standard of excellence for a progressive small city. In working to achieve that vision, Sumner prioritizes and celebrates diverse perspectives, life experiences and differences. The City actively seeks and encourages people with diverse backgrounds and characteristics to apply and all come together with a goal of continuing to learn and improve to better serve the residents, businesses and visitors of our community. Sumner remains a traditional city of just over 10,000 residents with agricultural roots, known for decades as the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World. At the same time, its compact, walkable layout aligns perfectly with progressive planning trends, as its classic Main Street becomes repurposed for boutiques, independent restaurants and daily services such as legal offices, financial advisors and doctors. While Sumner retains historic neighborhoods of Craftsman houses and an active high school right on Main Street, it also offers over 10,000 manufacturing and distribution jobs for companies such as REI, Keurig Green Mountain, Amazon.com, and Dillanos Coffee Roasters. With a downtown Sound Transit station with buses and trains, it is well connected to the Puget Sound region while striving to be a full service city with the largest YMCA facility in the state of Washington as well as a link trail system that will connect the Foothills and Interurban trails. Like the community, the city government is large enough to be professional but small enough to be creative. The City has won a variety of awards from the Governor's Smart Planning Award to recognition at the International Association of Chiefs of Police for its groundbreaking police work on victims' assistance. With a strong mayor format, the City has just over 100 employees who operate a cemetery, wastewater treatment facility, accredited police department, parks, full service public works and administration.
About the Sumner Police Department:
The Sumner Police Department has 21 commissioned officers which include: Police Chief, Deputy Chief, two Sergeants, two Detectives, one School Resource Officer, and the remaining Patrol Officers. Additional staff include four administrative support staff, one Evidence Custodian, and one Parking Enforcement Officer.
The City contracts jail services with neighboring agencies and dispatch service is provided by South Sound 911. The City also provides contracted animal control services to six other cities and maintains a shelter in the city of Puyallup. The department participates in multi-agency teams for SWAT, Major Crimes, Civil Disturbance, Collision Investigations, and numerous traffic emphasis.
We are guided by our principles of professionalism, integrity, teamwork, and commitment. The department has been state accredited since 2005. Our vision is to set the standard of excellence for a progressive small city police department.
General Purpose:
Performs a variety of duties related to the suppression and prevention of crime, the protection on life and property and the preservation of the public peace; responsible for the enforcement of laws and for giving aid and information to citizens in the community.
Supervision Received:
This position reports to the Police Sergeants.
Supervision Responsibilities:
Supervises the community and ensures that laws and regulations are being followed.
Forms:
Applicants will be asked to complete the following documents to move forward in the background process.
- Waiver and Authorization to Release Information (Download PDF reader)
-
Pre-Employment Investigation Discovery Waiver (Download PDF reader)
For Entry Level Candidates- your current, updated Personal History Statement is required to be submitted through your Public Safety Testing profile. A complete, updated Personal History Statement (PHS) is required prior to candidate being invited to participate in interviews. Candidates who provide an incomplete PHS or fail to submit a PHS to the City through Public Safety Testing will not be moved forward.
Veterans' Preference:
Candidates claiming Veterans Preference must complete and sign the Veterans' Scoring Criteria Status Declaration form (Download PDF reader). This form AND service verification document must be attached with your application to have Veterans' Preference points applied to your score.
Selection Guidelines:
Formal application, rating of education and experience, oral interview and reference check; job-related tests may be required.
Background checks will include:
-
Prior Employment Verification: confirms applicant's employment with the listed companies, including dates of employment, position held and additional information available pertaining to performance rating, reason for departure and eligibility for rehire. This verification will be run on the past three employers or the previous five years, whichever comes first.
-
Personal and Professional References: calls will be placed to individuals listed as references by the applicant.
-
Employment Eligibility Verification: Form I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States.
-
Educational Verification: confirms the applicant's claimed educational institution, including the years attended and the degree/diploma received.
-
Criminal History: includes review of criminal convictions and probation. The following factors will be considered for applicants with a criminal history:
-
The nature of the crime and its relationship to the position.
-
The time since the conviction.
-
The number (if more than one) of convictions.
-
Whether hiring, transferring or promoting the applicant would pose an unreasonable risk to the business, its employees or its customers and vendors.
The following additional background searches will be required if applicable to the position:
-
Motor Vehicle Records: provides a report on an individual's driving history in the state requested. This search will be run when driving is an essential requirement of the position.
-
Credit History: confirms candidate's credit history. This search will be run for positions that involve management of City of Sumner funds and/or handling of cash or credit cards.
The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.
