How to Start a Police Officer Career in Oregon

Oregon follows a step by step process almost identical to the one presented on our site’s main page. Candidates wishing to be officers must first apply, then follow mulitple tests, interviews and background checks to become eligible as a candidate for a job. If a position is offered to an applicant, an Oregon department will send them to an Oregon-based basic training academy for the proper training.

Become an Oregon Police Officer

Oregon state requirements differ greatly from city to city. All require a person to be a legal licensed driver, 21 years old, and live here in the United States legally. They also need to have a good criminal background check. Some cities (such as Portland) require applicants to have some college credits or even an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Other smaller cities simply require an applicant to have earned a GED or finished high school. It’s important to ask the police department your applying toto find out their specific requirements and if there is anything you can do to set yourself apart or make yourself more desirable to the department.

Salaries for Oregon Law Enforcement Jobs

The general salary for patrol officers in Oregon is around 61,000 a year. While this is higher than patrol officer salaries in most other states, keep in mind that cost of living in Oregon (especially in the cities) is higher than many other states. Detectives or criminal investigators can make as much as 68,000 a year or more in Oregon. Oregon police supervisors may see numbers as high as 84,700 a year.

Oregon Law Enforcement Degree Options

Some cities in Oregon require at least an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours of college education. In order to set yourself apart from other candidates it may be wise to have a degree or certificate in a criminal justice related program. This can make an individual a more hire-able candidate for employment in the force, it can also mean starting at a higher salary.

  • Central Oregon Community College

2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97701

541-383-7700

  • Chemeketa Community College

4000 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem, OR 97305

503-399-5000

  • Clackamas Community College

19600 Molalla Ave, Oregon City, OR 97045

503-594-6000

  • Clatsop Community College

1651 Lexington Ave., Astoria, OR 97103

503-325-0910

  • Columbia Gorge Community College

400 E Scenic Drive, The Dalles, OR 97058

541-506-6000

  • ITT Technical Institute

9500 NE Cascades Pkwy., Portland, OR 97220

503-255-6500

  • Klamath Community College

7390 South Sixth Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97603

541-882-3521

  • Lane Community College

4000 E 30th Ave, Eugene, OR 97405

541-463-3000

  • Linn-Benton Community College

6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany, OR 97321

541-917-4999

  • Mt Hood Community College

26000 SE Stark Street, Gresham, OR 97030

503-491-7297

  • Pioneer Pacific College

27501 SW Parkway Avenue, Wilsonville, OR 97070

503-682-1862

  • Portland Community College

12000 SW 49th Avenue, Portland, OR 97219

866-922-1010

  • Portland State University

1825 Southwest Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

503-725-3000

  • Rogue Community College

3345 Redwood Hwy, Grants Pass, OR 97527

541-956-7333

  • Southern Oregon University

1250 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR 97520

541-552-7672

  • Southwestern Oregon Community College

1988 Newmark Avenue, Coos Bay, OR 97420

541-888-2525

  • Tillamook Bay Community College

4301 Third Street, Tillamook, OR 97141

503-842-8222

  • Umpqua Community College

1140 Umpqua College Road, Roseburg, OR 97470

541-440-4600

  • Western Oregon University

345 North Monmouth Avenue, Monmouth, OR 97361

803-838-8000