Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Oregon
- Certifying body
- Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) / Board on Public Safety Standards and Training
- Certification
- DPSST Basic Police Certification
- Minimum age
- No law enforcement unit may employ anyone under 21 as a police officer or reserve officer (OAR 259-008-0010(2)).
- Education
- High school diploma, GED, or an accredited 4-year degree (OAR 259-008-0010(7)(a)). Before basic training, the hiring agency must also give an academic proficiency or validated written test; 4-year degree holders are exempt (0010(7)(c)).
- Citizenship
- Must be a U.S. citizen, or a nonimmigrant legally admitted under a Compact of Free Association, to be employed as a police officer for more than 18 months (ORS 181A.490(1)(a); OAR 259-008-0010(1)(b)).
- Disqualifiers
- Mandatory denial or revocation for: felony conviction (or any offense punishable by more than 1 year); controlled-substance conviction (marijuana use/possession is reviewed case by case); domestic violence conviction; bias/hate crime conviction; sex-offender status; or discharge for cause for misconduct such as false arrests or falsified evidence (OAR 259-008-0300(2)). Dishonesty, misuse of authority, and other misconduct are discretionary grounds (0300(3)). A pre-employment psychological evaluation is required (0010(11)).
- Basic academy
- Basic Police Course, about 640 hours (OAR 259-008-0085(1)(b)), delivered as a 16-week course at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem, plus the agency's field training manual.
- State exam
- None required
- Fitness standard
- Exit: must complete the Oregon Physical Abilities Test (OR-PAT) to pass the Basic Police Course (OAR 259-008-0085(21)(a)(D)). Entry: medical standards for vision, hearing, blood pressure and similar, confirmed by a physician's exam (Form F-2) within 180 days before employment, before admission to basic training (0010(8)-(9)).
- Time to certify
- Must start DPSST basic training within 90 days of hire; the agency may delay to 120 days with a written reason (ORS 181A.490(3)-(4)). The basic course, field training and Basic certification must be done within 18 months of employment (OAR 259-008-0025(1)(b), 0060(3)). DPSST may extend for up to 1 year for good cause (ORS 181A.490(2)).
- Officers from other states
- Out-of-state officers whose basic training meets or exceeds Oregon standards may get a waiver of the Basic Police Course. They must then complete the Career Officer Development Course and field training manual (OAR 259-008-0025(3)(b)). The employing agency requests the waiver in writing with the officer's course content, hour breakdown and employment history; DPSST reviews case by case (0025(3)(c)).
- Continuing training
- 84 hours of agency-approved training per 3-year maintenance cycle, plus current adult/child CPR and First Aid (OAR 259-008-0065(7)). Required each year: 8 hours of firearms or use-of-force training and 1 hour of ethics. Required each cycle: 3 hours mental health/crisis intervention, 2 hours airway/circulatory anatomy, and 3 hours equity.
ORS 181A.355(14) defines 'police officer' to include officers commissioned by cities, counties (so sheriff's deputies) and the Department of State Police (troopers), so all certify under the same Basic Police standards. Corrections and parole/probation officers are separate disciplines with different timelines. There is no separate state licensing exam: Basic Police Course students need 75% on the midterm and final, 100% on the use-of-force exam, and must pass the OR-PAT (OAR 259-008-0085(21)(a)). No statewide driver's-license requirement appears in OAR 259-008-0010.
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Oregon, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Oregon, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | OR |
|---|---|
| Workers | 5,030 |
| 10th percentile | $66,380 |
| Median | $88,140 |
| 90th percentile | $109,350 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Oregon
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) - Police Officer and Firefighter OPSRP Police & Fire (Pension Program + IAP) | 1.8% | Age 55 | 6% | Not stated |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Oregon pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Oregon
114 police departments in Oregon.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Oregon
Oregon DPSST Peace Officer Certification ExamOregon exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
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Oregon government jobs · Oregon public pension plans · police officer standards in Oregon · exam practice in Oregon