Public Safety Testing

What Public Safety Testing does

Public Safety Testing (PST), founded in 2000 and headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, is a private, founder-led company that operates a unified pre-employment testing and screening platform for public safety agencies and candidates. The company consolidates the fragmented hiring process for law enforcement, corrections, fire service, and 911 dispatch roles by enabling candidates to complete a single written exam (notably the proprietary Guardian Selection Inventory, or GSI, which replaced the prior LST exam in March 2025), a single physical ability test, and a single Personal History Statement, with scores distributed simultaneously to multiple partner agencies. The platform is complemented by the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) administered under license from the International Association of Firefighters (IAFC/IAFF), state-specific physical assessments (Washington PAT, Idaho PFTB, Alaska PFTB, Oregon ORPAT, Illinois POWER), and adjacent agency services including background and workplace investigations, promotional testing, and executive-level assessment.

PST delivers testing through a multi-channel architecture that includes PST-owned sites in Lynnwood, Tukwila, Spokane, and Rathdrum; nationwide partnerships with Anytime Fitness and National College Testing Association (NCTA) authorized centers; online in-home proctored exams via Safe Exam Browser; and the Virtual Physical Ability Test (V-PAT). Revenue is generated primarily through per-transaction candidate testing fees (ranging from $27.50 study materials to $145 PAT at Anytime Fitness), supplemented by agency-paid services for pre-employment screening, investigations, promotional testing, and executive services. The company is registered as a veteran/servicemember-owned business with the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs and is led by co-founders Jon Walters (President) and Pat Walters (Vice President), with a director-level team drawn heavily from former public safety leadership.

By 2025, PST reported 25 years of operation, partnerships with hundreds of public safety departments across at least eight states (Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Illinois, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming), and tens of thousands of candidates served over its history. No external institutional funding, M&A activity, or revenue disclosure is present in the available data.

Name

Public Safety Testing

Legal name

Public Safety Testing, Inc.

Website

https://publicsafetytesting.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Public Safety Testing (PST) is a private, 25-year-old Washington-based company that consolidates pre-employment written and physical ability testing for hundreds of law enforcement, corrections, fire, and 911 dispatch agencies and tens of thousands of candidates across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lynnwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Candidate Testing Fees: Candidates pay fees to register for and take written examinations, physical ability tests (PAT), CPAT, and related assessments. Fees vary by test type and include options for same-day written and PAT combinations.
2. Remote Testing Processing Fees: Additional non-refundable $15 processing fee for remote testing exams in addition to standard testing fees. Testing center proctor fees may also apply separately.
3. Anytime Fitness PAT Testing: $145 fee for PAT testing at Anytime Fitness locations, which includes the proctoring fee at the facility.
4. V-PAT Testing Fee: $35 fee for Virtual Physical Ability Test scheduling through PST.
5. Agency Services Revenue: Public safety agencies pay for pre-employment testing, promotional testing, investigation services, and executive services provided by PST.
6. Study Materials Sales: Sale of GSI Standard Study Guide + Practice Test Form 1 and other preparation materials through the PST store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Public Safety Testing (PST) operates a centralized pre-employment and promotional testing platform for the public safety sector. Candidates complete a single written examination (such as the proprietary Guardian Selection Inventory) and a standardized physical ability test, with results distributed to multiple participating law enforcement, corrections, fire, and 911 dispatch agencies. The company also delivers background investigations, promotional examinations, and executive assessment services directly to public safety agencies.

Product overview

Public Safety Testing (PST) operates a unified public safety hiring platform that consolidates multiple testing and screening services into a single streamlined process for both candidates and agencies. The core platform consists of written examinations (notably the Guardian Selection Inventory, or GSI™) and physical ability testing, supplemented by a suite of flexible delivery options including online in-home proctored exams (using Safe Exam Browser), virtual self-scheduled testing (V-PAT), and in-person testing at PST sites, authorized testing centers, Anytime Fitness locations, and CPAT training centers. Agency-side services include Pre-Employment Testing, Investigations, Promotional Testing, and Executive Services. State-specific physical ability tests (Washington PAT, Idaho PFTB, Alaska PFTB, Oregon ORPAT, Illinois POWER) are offered as variants within the same platform. Study materials such as the GSI Enhanced Study Guide serve as add-on preparation products. The platform serves candidates across Washington, Idaho, Alaska, Oregon, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, and other states, and agencies include hundreds of law enforcement, fire, and dispatch departments throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Candidates can apply to hundreds of agencies with one test registration rather than completing separate applications and tests for each agency
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Anytime FitnesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPST partners with Anytime Fitness locations nationwide to offer PAT testing for law enforcement and corrections candidates. Candidates can schedule PAT at Anytime Fitness with a $145 fee covering proctoring. Available for WA, ID, and AK agencies only.
• Kootenai Technical Education CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Kootenai Technical Education Campus in Rathdrum, Idaho to conduct CPAT testing for firefighter candidates. Located approximately 45 minutes east of downtown Spokane, serving the Eastern Washington/Northern Idaho region.
• National College Testing Association (NCTA)supportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with NCTA-affiliated testing centers nationwide to offer written exam proctoring at authorized locations across the United States.
• International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) / International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPST is a CPAT provider licensed by IAFF/IAFC. The CPAT consists of eight job-specific events administered following rigorous testing and equipment standards. PST is compliant with all mandatory audits conducted by IAFF.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pearson VUE: Pearson VUE operates the world's largest network of computer-based testing centers and provides assessment delivery for certifications and licensure — relevant as a delivery infrastructure incumbent that PST engages through its NCTA testing center partnership.
• Prometric: Prometric is a major computer-based test delivery and proctoring company serving credentialing and licensure programs — relevant as a broad incumbent in test delivery infrastructure comparable to the online in-home and authorized testing center services PST offers.
• PSI Services: PSI Services is a large, established testing and assessment provider operating across certifications, licensure, and pre-employment testing — its talent assessment line addresses similar public safety hiring use cases but as part of a much broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• I/O Solutions: I/O Solutions is a direct competitor offering pre-employment assessment services for law enforcement, fire, and corrections agencies, including written exams, physical ability tests, and promotional testing — directly comparable to PST's service portfolio.
• The Assessment Solution Inc. (TASI): TASI provides pre-employment and promotional assessment services for public safety agencies, including written examinations and assessment centers for police, fire, and corrections — comparable to PST's broader agency services portfolio.
• National Testing Network: National Testing Network is a direct competitor that provides standardized pre-employment written and physical ability testing for public safety candidates applying to multiple law enforcement, fire, and corrections agencies — the same core model as Public Safety Testing.
• Stanard & Associates: Stanard & Associates provides psychological and pre-employment assessment services for public safety agencies, including entry-level and promotional testing for police, fire, and corrections — directly comparable to PST's written exam and assessment center offerings.
• Morris & McDaniel: Morris & McDaniel specializes in promotional testing and assessment center development for law enforcement and fire agencies — directly comparable to PST's Promotional Testing Services line for sergeant through executive ranks.
• Personnel Decisions Inc. Personnel Decisions Inc. develops custom assessments and simulations for high-stakes hiring contexts including public safety, with capabilities overlapping PST's GSI written exam and assessment center offerings.
• Ergometrics: Ergometrics designs and delivers physical ability and video-based situational judgment tests for public safety agencies, including entry-level law enforcement and firefighter candidates — directly comparable to PST's PAT and written exam products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PublicSafetyTesting
• Xx.com/pst911

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Public Safety Testing