Volunteer Opportunity: Police Officer Interview and Selection Committee

The City of Tacoma Police Department is seeking members of the Tacoma community willing to serve on the Police Officer Interview and Selection Committee. This is a non-paid, volunteer position. 

The hiring of new officers is an extensive and multi-layered process. One layer in that process is the oral board/interview. The department uses the oral board/interview as a formal way to interact with candidates in order to learn more about them and to help determine their ability to successfully fulfill the position of police officer. To get to the oral board/interview step in the hiring process candidates must first pass a physical abilities test, written exam and a short background. 

The oral board/interview panel consists of four individuals; three commissioned officers of various ranks in the organization and one community member. Participation in the Police Officer Interview and Selection Committee (POISC) is an opportunity for Tacoma residents to engage and be a part of the selection and hiring process for the next generation of Tacoma Police officers.

The goal of this recruitment is to create a list of engaged and diverse community representatives willing to serve as POISC members for a minimum of one calendar year. Volunteers will need to be available on weekdays between the hours of 0900-1130 or 1200-1430, on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Each interview day will consist of five candidate interviews. Typically, the expectation is POISC members will be asked to serve one day per month in a rotation with other community members on the list. If someone is available more often, they can sit on interviews more frequently.

Once selected, the POISC members must participate in a brief background check, do a short bias awareness training, and sign a binding confidentiality agreement prior to participation in the oral board/interview process. The confidentiality agreement is meant to maintain the integrity of the oral board/interview and ensure fairness throughout the process, to all candidates, over multiple hiring cycles.

Police Officer Interview and Selection Committee members must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Be a resident of the City of Tacoma or work within the City of Tacoma limits
• Satisfactorily pass a department/agency background check 
• Affirm their availability and commitment to serving as a member of the interview and selection committee for a minimum of one calendar year
• Attend mandatory training 
• Serve as fair and impartial members of the panel to evaluate a candidate's readiness for sworn service
• Evaluate responses through a law enforcement lens
• Stay engaged and attentive for full interview
• Treat all candidates with respect
• Understand there is a strict scoring matrix and avoid bias when grading candidates

A Community Representative must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Strong oral and written communication skills 
• Commitment to confidentiality and willingness to sign a binding confidentiality agreement 
• Demonstrated ability to make sound and thoughtful decisions
• Proven ability to maintain high standards of ethics and integrity

If you are interested, please complete the online application.

Application materials will be viewed by a member of the Human Resources Department to ensure Tacoma residency. Successful candidates will be notified by a representative from the hiring team and asked to complete a background check. 

Communication from the City of Tacoma:
Please indicate in your online application that you prefer email notification as this is the preferred method of communication with the City of Tacoma.

We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com must be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.

The online application system requires you to enter a substantial amount of information. Be prepared to spend an hour or more entering the required information. In order for your application materials to be considered, all information must be submitted by the closing date and time listed on this announcement. If you experience any complications while applying, please contact Human Resources as 253.591.5400 by 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 29, 2026 in order for us to assist you before the closing time.

If you are interested in additional information about the City of Tacoma and the Tacoma Police Department, visit our websites at www.tacoma.gov or https://tacoma.gov/government/departments/police/

Questions regarding this announcement may be directed to the Human Resources Department at 253.591.5400.