Public Safety Testing

I’m new to Washington State, having worked previously as a police officer in the midwest where I retired as a lieutenant. The method for applying to agencies here in Washington is much much different than it is where I come from. Whereas in my home-​state, you can simply apply for an agency, undergo their in-​house testing procedure (if applicable) and get hired (or not), here you have to pay money to apply and go through the testing process. Not only that, there are two companies: National Testing Network, and Public Safety Testing, which agencies contract through to hire applicants. I took the NTN test, passed, but because some of the agencies I wanted to apply for didn’t contract through NTN, I had to take another test with PST. A total racket!
The testing procedure for PST is indeed about 5 hours; perhaps half of which is spent having to listen to Jon Walters champion himself as a «life coach» and speak to applicants like they’re kids. When he made a comment that if he heard someone’s cell phone ring, he would «toss it outside into the puddle», I was tempted to set my phone on a timer to ring and watch him try. I’ve been around cops and law enforcement for 25 years. And despite all your droning, long-​winded grandiose proclamations, it’s not rocket science, Jon. You took our money, save us the morality speech and just administer the damn test already. At least with NTN, you’re in and out. No lectures. No additional costs for having your release form notarized.

Overpriced for a test someone is making lots of money on test takers, you should not have to pay so much for a test these departments should follow Seattle and Tacoma testing process. I think many of these departments discriminate against minority people, who don’t have a college degree, or look like the clones they hire. How many minorities do they hire? Go to stations and you will see!

I recently went through PST in hopes of landing a position in law enforcement.
The PST website is pretty easy to navigate around and see which departments have openings. You can add to your agencies (you’re applying for) right up until your written test begins, which is pretty cool.
I recommend saving yourself sometime before the testing to go get your waiver stamped by a notary (costs $ 10 at UPS locations). If you don’t do this before, arrive early and PST supplies notaries the day of (this also costs $ 10).
The written test portion lasts about 5 hours, so be prepared to focus for that amount of time. I was surprised to find out how difficult this portion is after researching what others thought of it. Apparently, if you score above 80% on the written test, you’ve done really, really well. 70% is passing and it’s very rare to have someone score 100% (and if you do, you’re no doubt top candidate).
If you pass the written test portion, you go on to the physical test. You run the 300 meter run followed by push ups, sit ups and mile and a half run. Pretty self-​explanatory there.
I give Public Safety Testing 3 stars only because the amount of money you have to spend in order to even apply to these police departments is absurd. With that being said, I would give PST 5 stars if it wasn’t for the amount you have to pay.
These guys know what they’re doing, but damn, can PST cut some costs somewhere?!

I recently took a test at this facility and I was struck by how professional and organized the whole testing process was, and how nice the staff was, and how well-​laid out the building site/​offices were. I appreciated how they advised us that our test scores would be available to us later that day — and, sure enough, they were! A few notes of interest:
–the address isn’t visible from 44^th Ave. W, so if you’re not familiar with Lynnwood (as I’m not!), it’s super easy to pass by this office park and subsequently get a little lost. Note: there is a large hotel at this site, and the office park is a bit beyond the hotel. PST is in a bldg to the left. FYI, you can see the hotel from the street, so turn in the lot there. (I was smart to give myself plenty of extra time, finding this place).
–all my testing literature which I read beforehand, to be prepared, stated that cell phones weren’t allowed in the testing area. Nowhere did it state that they weren’t allowed in the building at all (I was prepared to leave my phone in my purse, and leave the purse outside the testing room). However, on the exterior office door was a sign“No cell phones allowed. Secure your phone in your car”. So I went back outside to my car, in the pouring rain, to secure my phone. Later I discovered I could have left my phone in my purse, as there were cubbies outside the testing room for people to leave their personal belongings (and all the women left their phones in thier purses, and put their purses in these cubbies). So… I’m not sure WHAT the «real» rule is. To play it safe, I’d recommend leaving your phone in your car.
Other than that, the whole testing process was extremely smooth and well-​run. There was no need to bring anything; everything needed was supplied. It started on time, to the second, and was really as painless as any testing process could be!