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.
LEARN MORE
Open House
Astoria Patrol Office
2320 SE Dolphine Ave., Warrenton OR
August 12, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Meet with a recruiter to explore OSP career opportunities as a trooper and learn about the hiring process.
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.
Learn about OSP's Hiring Process
Eligibility Requirments
- Be a United States Citizen by birth or a Naturalized United States Citizen – OR – able to attain citizenship within 18 months of hire per OAR 259-008-0019 – 1 Citizenship (a) (b).
- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Applicants must be 21 years old on the first day of employment per OAR 259-008-0010.
- Possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
- Meet all applicable medical and physical requirements.
- Pass all applicable background, credit, and criminal history checks.
- Be in good health and of good moral character. Moral character is defined as possessing the attributes of empathy, courage, fortitude, honesty, loyalty, and other virtues deemed to be morally good.
- Work at the assigned duty station for 2 years once solo status is reached.
See our Tattoo, Body Modification, and Jewelry Policy 
Trooper Hiring Steps
The hiring process for recruits is extensive. The time from application to appointment can exceed several months. There are seven steps in the hiring process. Read and review all steps and become familiar with the different tests and systems you’ll need to access before you begin. You can find all of the steps outlined here.
Automatic Disqualifiers
An application will not be processed if any of the following factors or circumstances apply to the applicant:
- A felony conviction under state or federal law.
- A misdemeanor conviction relating to sex crimes, crimes against persons, drugs, fraud, or moral turpitude.
- Other misdemeanor conviction within the last five years.
- Conviction for minor in possession of alcoholic beverage or marijuana within the last 12 months.
- Conviction of a major traffic offense or DUI diversion within the last five years.
- Revocation of driving privileges or a felony or misdemeanor operator's license suspension within the last five years.
- Three or more moving traffic violation convictions within the last two years.
- Careless driving conviction within the last 12 months.
- Conviction for an open container of an alcoholic beverage within the last 12 months.
- Conviction of a Class A traffic violation, excluding speeding violations, within the last 12 months.
- Five or more traffic violation convictions, including suspensions, within the last three years.
- No valid operators license.
- A currently expired or suspended operator's license.
- An operator's license suspention within the last three years.
- Participation in the unlawful sale, distribution, or manufacture of any illigal drug/controlled substance (including prescription medication) within the last 10 years.
- Unlawful use or possession of any illegal drug or controlled substance (including prescription medication) within the last 5 years.
- Personal use of marijuana within the last 12 months except for cannabidiol (CBD).
- Discharge from any branch of the Armed Forces classified as Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, or Dishonorable.
- An arrest resulting in a conviction that would prevent the applicant from becoming certified under the provisions of ORS 181A.640. This includes a conviction for an offense involving domestic violence as described in ORS 181a.640(2)(c) or child abuse as described in ORS 181A.640(2)(d)
- A conviction for a bias or hate crime under state or federal law.
- Illegal conduct involving moral turpitude.
- Conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
- Intentional deception or fraud or attempted, or fraud in any application, examination, or the other document.
- Conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.
- Conduct demonstrating a misuse of authority for financial gain.
- Acts or conduct which would cause a reasonable person to have substantial doubts about the individual's honesty, fairness, respect for the rights of others, or for the laws of thestate and/or the nation.
- Conduct that adversely reflects on the individual's fitness to perform as a law enforcement officer.
- Any conduct or incident that would preclude Sworn Police Officer Certification through the Oregon Departmen of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST).
Monthly Base Salary (updated January 2026)
$6,422
| $6,869
| 1
| Hire |
$6,742
| $7,210
| 2
| 6 months |
$7,080
| $7,570
| 3
| 1 year |
$7,433
| $7,949
| 4
| 2 years |
$7,805
| $8,349
| 5
| 3 years |
$8,196
| $8,766
| 6
| 4 years
|
$8,605
| $9,202
| 7
| 5 years
|
*Recruit Troopers become PERS eligible after 6 months of employment.
Benefits and Additional Pay Opportunities
- A comprehensive competitive benefit package link to: new employees’ page/compensation and benefits in this packet.
- Pay adjusted based upon experience.
- Additional applicable incentives:
- 3% Associates Degree or Intermediate DPSST certification
- 6% Bachelor's Degree or Advanced DPSST certification
- Possible 5% differential for foreign language proficiency
- 4% ACTAR Certification
- 2% TCI (Technical Collision Investigator)
- 2.5% OSP SWAT Member (1.5% increase after 5 consecutive years of service on the team)
- 2% MRT
- 2% CID or F&W SIU
- We provide all duty related equipment.
- 12 sick days and 3 personal days per year.
- A leave bank is established in lieu of traditional holiday leave. Each employee earns 8 hours of leave per full calendar month of paid employment with a maximum accrual of 96 hours.
- Vacation accrual.
0-5 |
8 |
12 |
6-10 |
10 |
15 |
11-15 |
12 |
18 |
16-20 |
14 |
21 |
20-25
|
16
|
24
|
|---|
Location and Duty Assignments
- Openings in most offices in the state.
- You will know where you are assigned prior to recruit school.
- Statewide opportunities available based upon specialized skills and training within the Patrol, Criminal, and Fish and Wildlife Divisions.
Additional Lateral Information
Training for a lateral police officer with the Oregon State Police requires successful completion of a six‑week Pre‑Academy, followed by a 60‑hour Lateral Post Academy
The Lateral Post Academy will immediately follow the Pre‑Academy to minimize the time between the start of training and reporting to assigned duty stations.
If at any point the Training Staff determines—based on their training and experience—that a lateral recruit requires additional instruction beyond the Lateral Post Academy, the recruit will be reassigned to the full Post Academy with their designated recruit class. The lateral recruit will then transfer to their assigned office and begin the Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP) until the next Post Academy begins.
If a lateral recruit successfully completes the Lateral Post Academy but it is determined during their FTEP period that additional training is required, they will be required to attend the next full Post Academy.
Qualified out‑of‑state lateral applicants who meet Oregon standards set by DPSST will not be required to attend the Basic Police Academy; however, they will be required to attend a two‑week PCOD Academy through DPSST within a year of appointment.
Pay is adjusted based upon experience.
Eligible for promotion to sergeant after two years of service with the Oregon State Police and a total of five years of law enforcement experience.
Retirement
- Full retirement available as early as age 50 with 25 years of service, or at age 55 with as little as 5 years of service with PERS.
- Oregon PERS is transferable if you are a current member.