Two years of progressively responsible law enforcement experience as a first-level supervisor or greater with a general authority law enforcement agency.
A bachelor's degree is required.
A valid Washington State driver's license is required.
Ability to obtain and maintain Peace Officer Certification with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission is required.
Successful completion of a background investigation, psychological examination, and polygraph examination is required.
Police Lieutenants must possess physical fitness that allows participation in confrontational or stressful situations.
Thorough knowledge of modern police work and laws governing arrest, custody of prisoners, search and seizure, and rules of evidence is required.
Knowledge of patrol procedures, criminal investigation techniques, criminal identification, records maintenance, and principles of management and supervision is required.
Knowledge of relevant Washington Revised Code, Washington Administrative Code, and City ordinances is required.
Knowledge of court rules and procedures is required.
Knowledge of basic tactical deployment and hostage situation techniques is required.
Knowledge of budget and accounting methods is required.
Skill in firearms use and operating motor vehicles in hazardous or emergency conditions is required.
Ability to make rapid decisions based on limited information and take responsible action while maintaining composure during stressful situations is required.
Ability to prepare accurate and comprehensive reports is required.
Ability to plan, assign, supervise, and evaluate the work of others is required.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing is required.
Ability to work flexible hours to meet management needs is required.
Responsibilities
Provide overall management and administration of a major Police Department functional area or division under the direction of the Chief of Police and Deputy Police Chief.
Influence staff to engage in service and activities that support the Department's mission, vision, and values.
Ensure Department accountability and transparency.
Provide leadership and direction to staff about expectations and work needed to achieve strategic priorities.
Prepare and deliver presentations to media, City officials, community groups, and other Department stakeholders about Department activities.
Anticipate and facilitate planning for short- and long-range Department needs.
Represent the Department at meetings with government entities, community groups, and other City departments.
Oversee employee conduct for compliance with law, Department policy, training standards, and collective bargaining agreements, including investigating allegations of serious misconduct.
Recommend corrective or disciplinary action and commendations as appropriate.
Inform the Chief of Police about issues that may significantly affect the Department, City, or community.
Provide management oversight to assigned sergeants, officers, and civilian employees, and positively influence their actions and performance.
Develop and manage budgets for the assigned work unit.
Develop working relationships with employees, City staff, other law enforcement agencies, the criminal justice system, and community members.
Approve assigned staff's work, including operational plans, budget expenditures, performance improvement plans, and personnel assignments.
Interpret and apply policies to specific incidents.
Manage serious crime scenes.
Evaluate policies and practices to ensure they meet current legal standards, community values, and best practices.
Direct Department resources to address crime trends in alignment with crime data.
Manage Department training needs and identify required changes to policy, procedure, training, and practices.
Promote internal and external procedural justice.
Assist and mentor sergeants.
Coordinate the assigned functional area's activities with other Police Department divisions, agencies, and jurisdictions.
Compile, analyze, and recommend Department actions for implementing crime prevention programs.
Serve as a community liaison and prioritize and manage Department engagement efforts to improve relationships with community groups.
Research, present, and implement programs that further the Department's mission.
Manage and promote employee health and wellness.
Manage and evaluate staffing needs for the assigned functional area or division.
Maintain punctual, regular, and reliable attendance.
Plan, assign, supervise, and evaluate others' work and manage assigned staff.
Ensure law enforcement activities are delivered effectively and efficiently in accordance with Department policies and guidelines.
Under the direction of the Chief of Police and Deputy Police Chief, Lieutenants are responsible for overall management and administration of a major functional area or division within the Police Department.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate profile includes:
1. Leadership:
Responsible and accountable
Ethical
Loyal
Demonstrate and promote the mission, vision and values of the police department
2. Communication:
Written and Oral
Working relationship with the community and other departments
3. Positively influencing others:
Role model
Professional development
Coach and mentor
Demonstrate and promote a culture of fair and impartial policing
4. Knowledge of:
Laws, policies and practices
Labor Agreements
5. Supervision:
Creative and innovative
Day-to-day operations
Decisiveness
6. Ability to work under pressure:
Multi-tasking
Examination and Selection Process Timeline Specific times and locations for each examination will be announced soon after the closing date for applications. Candidates will be notified if the timeline described below changes.
September 2, 2026 - October 18, 2026: Application Period
November 10, 2026, 1400 hours: Candidate Briefing via Zoom
December 7, 2026: Command Skills and Abilities Promotional Test
December 8, 2026, may also be added depending on number of qualified applicants
December 15, 2026: Civil Service Commission Certification of Promotional List
TBD - Late December 2026 - January 2027: Chief’s Interview
Important Information about the testing process The examination process is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the duties of the lieutenant. Four job-related exercises or simulations are validated by subject-matter experts in which candidate scores are integrated by a statistical process.
Important Information about the Testing Exercises The exercises will consist of an assessment center. The assessment center will use trained assessors/raters selected by the Olympia Police Department and Civil Service. Candidates who are offered an opportunity to participate in the assessment center will receive a briefing about the nature and purpose of the testing prior to its commencement.
Important Information about Examination Scoring In accordance with City of Olympia Civil Service Rules, candidates must pass all portions and phases of the assessment center in order to be placed on the Promotional Police Lieutenant Register. Observers may be present during testing and may observe some or all of the test components.
Candidates will be ranked on the Promotional Police Lieutenant Register in final ranking score order.
A candidate briefing will be conducted November 10, 2026, at 1400 hours via Zoom. Additional information about the zoom meeting will be provided. The purpose of this briefing will be to inform all candidates regarding the testing process.
To apply:
External Applicants: This position is open for applications until October 18, 2026 at 11:59pm. Please ensure your application is completed and submitted before that deadline to be considered. All applications must include a resume and cover letter. Your cover letter should be no more than two (2) pages and should outline your work history, qualifications, and reasons for why you think you are the best applicant for this position.
Internal Applicants: Submit an application through the Jobs Hub in Workday by 11:59p.m. on October 18, 2026. To access the Jobs Hub, log into your Workday account, click the “Menu” on the upper left corner of the homepage, select “Organization” (if this is not in your list you may need to add it) and then “Jobs Hub”.
If you have questions about the 2026 Police Lieutenant Examination, please contact Deputy Chief Ray Brady ([email protected]) or Telli Norton ([email protected]).
Essential Functions
The information contained in this classification specification is a representative sample of essential and other functions performed in this classification. Specific essential functions are identified for position recruitment or other administrative procedures.
Examples of Duties: 1. Demonstrate leadership ability to influence staff to engage in service and activity that supports the overall Mission, Vision and Values of the Department. 2. Ensure that the Department maintains a high level of accountability and transparency. 3. Provides leadership and direction to staff about expectations and work needed to achieve the Department's strategic priorities. 4. Prepare and complete presentations to Media, City officials, community groups and other Department stakeholders about Department related activities. 5. Manages, anticipates and facilitates planning for short and long range needs of the department. 6. Represent the Department at meetings with government entities, community groups, and other City Departments regarding Departments role. 7. Manages and oversees employee conduct to ensure it is in compliance with the law, Department Policy, training standards, and collective bargaining agreements. This includes conducting investigations of matters involving allegations of serious misconduct. 8. Recommends corrective/disciplinary action or commendations as appropriate. 9. Informs Chief of Police of issues or things that may have significant impact on the Department, City and/or the community. 10. Provide management oversight to assigned staff including sergeants, officers, and civilian employees. Must possess the ability to positively influence others in their actions and performance. 11. Develop and manage budgets for assigned work unit. 12. Develop effective working relationships with employees, City staff, other law enforcement agencies, the Criminal Justice system, and members of the community. 13. Approve the work of assigned sergeants or other staff to include operational plans, budget expenditures, the preparation of performance improvement plans, and personnel assignments. 14. Interpret and apply policies to specific incidents. 15. Manage serious crime scenes. 16. Consistently evaluate policies and practices to ensure that they are they are contemporary and in compliance with legal standards, community values, and best practices. 17. Manage and direct Department resources related to addressing crime trends that is aligned with crime data. 18. Manage Department training needs. 19. Identify need for changes in Department policy, procedure, training and practices. 20. Promote a culture of internal and external Procedural Justice 21. Assist and mentor sergeants. 22. Coordinate the activities of assigned functional area with other divisions within the Police Department and with other agencies and jurisdictions. 23. Compile, analyze, and recommend appropriate Department actions for the implementation of crime prevention programs. 24. Serve as Community liaison for different sectors of the community. Prioritize and manage Department engagement efforts that improve relationships with community groups. 25. Research, present, and implement programs that further the Department Mission. 26. Manage and promote health and wellness of employees. 27. Manage and evaluate staffing needs for functional area or division. 28. Punctual, regular and reliable attendance is essential for successful job performance.
Typical Qualifications
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
1. Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of modern police work and the laws governing arrest, custody of prisoners, search and seizure, and rules of evidence. 2. Knowledge of patrol procedures, criminal investigation techniques, criminal identification, records maintenance, and principles of management and supervision 3. Knowledge of pertinent RCW's, WAC's, and City ordinances. 4. Knowledge of court rules and procedures. 5. Knowledge of basic tactical deployment and hostage situation techniques. 6. Knowledge of budget and accounting methods. 7. Skill in the use of firearms and operation of motor vehicles in hazardous and/or emergency conditions. 8. Ability to make rapid decisions based on limited information. 9. Ability to maintain composure and take responsible action during stressful situations. 10. Ability to prepare accurate and comprehensive reports. 11. Ability to plan, assign, supervise, and evaluate the work of others. 12. Ability to work cooperatively with others as the leader of a service oriented team. 13. Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
Education/Experience: 1. Two years progressively responsible law enforcement experience as a first level supervisor or greater with a general authority law enforcement agency
2. A bachelor's degree is required.
Special Requirements: 1. A valid Washington State Driver's License.
2. Ability to obtain and maintain Peace Officer Certification with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission.
3. Successful completion of a background investigation, psychological and polygraph examinations.
4. Police Lieutenants must possess a degree of physical fitness that allows participation in confrontational and/or stressful situations.
Supplemental Information
Contacts: 1. Police Lieutenants have constant, daily contact with staff for the purpose of providing management and information sharing. 2. Successful interpersonal contact is a key element of police work. 3. A Police Lieutenant routinely communicates with individuals of all organizational levels, and often serves as a link between command staff and other staff. 4. Police Lieutenants have significant contact with all segments of society. 5. Contacts are often adversarial in nature requiring the exercise of the utmost tact, discretion, and self-control. 6. Skill in enforcing the law while maintaining friendly and cooperative relationships with members of the community is necessary for position success.
Supervision: 1. Provides management for all assigned staff.
Accountability: 1. Police Lieutenants are accountable for ensuring law enforcement activities are delivered in an effective, efficient manner according to Department policies and guidelines.
Working Conditions: 1. The majority of each work assignment is completed from an office, though field work could be required at any time. 2. Police Lieutenants may be exposed to physical and verbal abuse in circumstances requiring considerable self-control. 3. Police field work may require physical exertion, exposure to inclement weather, safety hazards and life threatening situations. 4. Lieutenants are expected to work flexible hours to meet any management need.
The City of Olympia is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse workforce. Women, people of color, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Union:
Police Lieutenants
Compensation (minimum-maximum):
$205,145.70 - $205,145.70
Exempt:
Yes
For general application or position questions please contact the hiring supervisor or Human Resources at [email protected].
The City of Olympia complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Manny Bosser, Director of Human Resources, at (360)753-8309 or [email protected]. This contact is for ADA accommodations only. If you have questions regarding this recruitment, please contact the manager noted in the Contact section near the top of this recruitment.