The Columbia Police Department will be conducting in-house interviews for Police Officer candidates on Friday, April 17 and Thursday, April 23, 2026. According to Columbia Chief of Police Evan Burton, these interviews are part of the department’s hiring process to select a qualified recruit to serve the community of Columbia, Kentucky.
The interview committee will consist of a diverse panel made up of law enforcement officials, city employees, and local citizens from the community. Each candidate will complete an interview consisting of ten (10) structured questions.
A total of twelve (12) candidates successfully passed the Columbia Police Department Physical Fitness Testing and have advanced to the interview phase.
The candidate selected for employment will move forward in the hiring process, which includes fingerprinting, medical examination, drug screening, background investigation, suitability screening, polygraph examination, and attendance at the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) for the official Physical Fitness Standards Testing.
The Columbia Police Department was awarded approximately $140,000 through the Community Oriented Policing Services (C.O.P.S.) Grant from the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The recruit selected for the Columbia Police Officer position will be required to sign a three-year contract agreement with the City of Columbia.
The Columbia Police Department values transparency and wants the public to understand how the department selects and hires Police Officer recruits to protect and serve the citizens of Columbia.
