King County Sheriff's Office - 911 Communications Specialist
Last updated on March 13, 2025
PST Partner Agency since April 29, 2024
Vacancies: 14
Important Information
The King County Sheriff’s Office requires candidates to complete the following steps to be considered:
Step 1- Submit Application
Submit an application when KCSO begins accepting applications again. The next recruitment cycle will open in the 1st quarter of 2025.
Step 2- Complete Technical Exam
The technical exam is administered by Public Safety Testing (PST). Candidates must complete the technical and typing exam and add KCSO as an agency. Both tests must be passed in order for your scores to be sent to KCSO. A fully complete PHS must be completed in order to move forward in the process. This must be done by the time your application is submitted. This is a scored component of the examination process. The typing exam must be passed with 35 wpm and 90% accuracy in order for your scores to be submitted to KCSO.
Step 3 - Verify that you do not meet any of the Automatic Disqualifying Behavior requirements. To avoid a delay in the application process with our agency, you must complete an up to date, specific and detailed personal history statement (PHS). Review the list of KCSO Automatic Disqualifiers, as well as KCSO background standards as listed in 10.14 of the King County Civil Service Rules and verify your qualification for employment with King County Sheriff's Office. The background of each applicant will be evaluated at each step of the recruitment process. Be thorough and honest at each phase, including in your response to the PHS and KCSO Automatic Disqualifier questions. Each must be complete, specific and up to date. A KCSO Background Detective will review the personal history statement when applications are submitted. Background standards are evaluated throughout all steps of the recruitment and hiring process.
Step 4- Oral Board Exam (Interview)
Candidates who pass the technical exam will be invited to an oral board exam (interview). This is a scored component of the examination process.
Step 5- Eligibility List & Background Investigation
Candidates who pass both the technical and oral board examination will be placed on an eligibility list. Eligible candidates will proceed with the background investigation process in order of their rank on the list. The background investigation process may take up to 10 weeks to complete.
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Benefit Information
King County Sheriff's Office - 911 Communications Specialist Requirements
| Category | Requirement | Required at time of... | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Hire | ||
| Written Examination |
Yes, required |
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| Typing Test |
Yes, required The typing test is a critical component of your written test score and you are required to complete the online typing test within 90 days (before or after) your written exam. You will be allowed four (4) attempts at the typing test every seven (7) days and are responsible for selecting the score that you want PST to forward to the agencies you have applied with. The typing exam must be passed with 35 wpm and 90% accuracy in order for your scores to be sent to KCSO. 35 WPM; 90% Accuracy |
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| PST Personal History Statement | Yes, required within 3 days of passing required exam(s) | ||
| Minimum Age | 18 | ||
| Citizenship | US Citizen / Lawful Permanent Resident / DACA-Recipient | ||
| High School Grad/ GED | Yes | ||
| Ability to Read, Speak & Write the English Language |
You must have the ability to read, speak and write the English language fluently. |
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| College Requirement | No | ||
| Prior Experience Requirement | No | ||
| Veterans Preference Points |
Veteran's Preference: a valid copy of your DD-214 must be provided with your application materials online to be valid. |
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| Other Preference Points |
King County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Preference– Explorer preference points only apply to current or former members of the King County Sheriff’s Office Explorer program. We do not provide preference points to candidates who have been a part of other agencies explorer programs. Qualifying candidates must provide a signed letter of service and/or completion from the King County Sheriff’s Office. This letter must be attached to your application. |
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| Current Hiring Status |
We are hiring for multiple positions! |
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| Other |
King County Sheriff's Office requires their candidates to successfully pass a complete background investigation to include a polygraph exam, psychological evaluation and a medical exam. |
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Contact Information
King County Sheriff's Office - 911 Communications Specialist
Contact a RecruiterAgency Test Requirements
Written Examination: Yes, required
Typing Test: Yes, required
PST Personal History Statement: Yes, required within 3 days of passing required exam(s)
Other King County Sheriff's Office positions
COVID-19 UPDATES
5/6/2020 Update:
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
Law Enforcement & Corrections Written and Physical Ability Test
Please check back here frequently and ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay updated.
PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at contact@publicsafetytesting.com. We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.
