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Recruitment

Sworn Recruiting

The Oregon State Police is actively recruiting Recruit Troopers to fill openings in coastal patrol offices. Successful candidates will be assigned a duty station upon receiving a conditional job offer. Hiring will be limited to the following locations: Astoria, Tillamook, Newport, Florence, Coos Bay, and Gold Beach. Relocation reimbursement is available for Gold Beach duty assignments.

OSP pre-academy training is expected to begin January 2027 with a Basic Police Academy start date in February 2027. 

How to Apply

  • In Workday, follow the Apply process and complete the online application.  
  • Complete any additional questionnaires to ensure your application is complete.
  • After applying in Workday, you must register and attend Step 2 - Entry Level Testing.
  • If you choose to submit any documents, please submit them in MS Word or PDF formats. We will not open other types of documents. Documents may be sent to osp.trooper@osp.oregon.gov.

Entry Level Testing (ELT) Dates

ELT testing will take place at the Oregon Public Safety Academy located at 4190 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, OR 97317. 

Please choose from the following dates:

  • August 15, 2026 - Salem
  • September 5, 2026 - Salem

ELT consists of three parts. Plan to dedicate a full day to completing all three steps.

  • The Oregon State Police Physical Fitness Test (OSP PFT) 
  • An academic exam testing for high school equivalency level in reading, writing, and math. See our POST Exam Familiarization guide for additional information.
  • Pre-offer psychological exam and risk assessment. The first step of this exam is proctored during ELT and does not require preparation or studying. The second step includes a Personal History Questionnaire for applicants to complete at home during the week following ELT. 

Recruit Trooper Hiring Steps

We are pleased you are interested in joining the ranks of Oregon's finest. These steps will help you understand our process. We are committed to helping you achieve your goals and keeping you informed throughout the process. 

The hiring process for recruits is extensive. The time from application to appointment can exceed several months. The hiring process consists of seven steps. Read and review all steps and become familiar with the different tests and systems you'll need to access before you begin.

When we are not accepting applications, you can call one of our OSP recruiters, review our website to familiarize yourself with all the hiring steps, and check back frequently.



An online application must be completed by the closing date listed in the recruitment announcement. 

We respect, value, and seek applicants who have served the United States in the Armed Forces. Oregon state government provides qualifying veterans and disabled veterans with preference in employment. Learn more about this eligibility and what you must provide with your application to qualify for veteran’s preference.

Read more tips for completing your application, learn about the online application system and how to make your application stand out​

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​Entry Level Testing (ELT) is done in person at various locations and dates when we are in an open recruitment.  The dates and locations will be posted at the top of our recruiting page along with an email address to get scheduled.  ELT is comprised of three parts. 
  • The Oregon State Police Physical Fitness Test (OSP PFT) is described here: OSP Physical Fitness Testing​.
  • An academic exam.  The exam consists of reading, writing, and math sections, and tests at a high school equivalency level.​
  • Complete a pre-offer psychological exam and risk assessment. Step one of this exam is proctored during ELT and does not require any preparation or studying.  Step two of the exam is a Personal History Questionnaire that you will complete at home in the week after attending an ELT session.

​​Those selected for Step 3 will be contacted by OSP Training and Recruitment Section staff.  This is an interview with Oregon State Police Commanders consisting of a panel of Majors and Captains. The interview is conducted in-person, typically 30-40 minutes and is primarily a behavioral-based question interview structure.​

Those selected for Step 4 will be contacted by OSP Training and Recruitment Section staff to complete a Recruit Background History Packet.  See the Recruit Background Checklist for details needed. These forms must be completed and returned, per instructions on the forms, to the OSP Training and Recruitment Section staff within nine days after completing Step 4. ​Handwritten forms will not be accepted. Additionally, an applicant must be willing to sign several waivers allowing OSP to conduct a thorough background investigation. Some factors considered during a background investigation include but are not limited to:

Driving history
Criminal history Fingerprint check
Personal references
Employment history
Military Service Records – Discharge Status
Job references
Personal references
Prior contact with law enforcement agencies
Financial status (to include credit history)​

​Those selected for Step 5 will be given a conditional job offer based upon an applicant meeting the following conditions:

  • Acceptance of employment to a specific work station (if offered),
  • Budget availability and funding,
  • Pass a medical screening, and
  • Pass a post-offer psychological evaluation.

If you accept the conditional job offer, an appointment to an OSP contracted medical screening clinic will be made for you (see OAR 259-008-0010 (8) Physical Examination). A psychological evaluation will be scheduled in conjunction with the medical screening. This psychological evaluation will be in-person by the contracted Psychologists. You should expect to be at the Psychologist's office for approximately four hours.

Upon successful completion of all conditional appointment requirements:

  • ​Attend OSP Pre-Academy (approximately 3 weeks in duration)
  • Attend DPSST Basic Police Academy (16 weeks in duration)
    *Qualified out of state lateral applicants who meet Oregon standards set by DPSST will not be required to attend the Basic Police Academy, but will be required to attend a 2 week PCOD academy through DPSST within a year of appointment
  • Attend OSP Post-Academy (approximately 6-7 weeks in duration)
  • Link to Recruit Academy Prep Guide​
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​Contact

​​​​​​​​Oregon State Police- Sworn Recruiting 

3565 Trelstad Ave. SE
Salem, OR 97317

Richardson, Phil 2 August 2017.jpg

Sr. Trooper Phil Richardson 
Phone: 503-583-5196​

​Hours
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday - Friday


 

​Oregon State Police
Human Resources
3565 Trelstad Ave SE
Salem, OR 97317
​​​Phone: 503-934-0232
OSPHR@osp.oregon.gov​

Hours
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday - Friday