Testing Planned For Police Patrol Positions

By Andrew Gorosko

The Newtown and Brookfield police departments are joining forces to conduct a police patrol officer testing program intended to generate a larger pool of potential police recruits and expedite the police officer hiring process for both towns.

Until now, Newtown police have conducted their own testing program.

The Newtown Police Department is authorized to have 45 sworn police officers on staff, but only has 41 officers in place. The police department recently lost three officers who left their posts.

Sean Buckley left the police department to become a conservation officer with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Daniel Cacace resigned for undisclosed reasons. Kenneth Jacovino resigned near the end of his field training period for new officers.

All three departures were unexpected and left the police department with three job vacancies, plus a fourth position, which was created last January 1, but was never filled.

 In the budget proposed for the 2007-08 fiscal year, police are seeking two additional police officer positions, which, if approved, would bring the full authorization up to 47 officers.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said that both Newtown and Brookfield police will pool their testing efforts Saturday, May 5, when they conduct a joint testing program for the position of police patrol officer at Newtown High School at 12 Berkshire Road. Written testing in the high school cafeteria will be followed by physical fitness testing at the high school track that day, he said.

Besides the two towns’ benefiting from a larger pool of job candidates, the people who take the tests on May 5 would potentially be separately considered for police work by two police departments, Chief Kehoe said. The fee to take the test is $50.

Newtown police would expect to develop a list in May from which potential new hires would later be made, he said. The Police Commission may hire some new officers in July or August, he said. Following a hiring, a new police officer attends the Connecticut Municipal Police Academy and then undergoes a period of local field training before beginning independent patrol work.

Certain minimum requirements pertain. Applicants must be at least 21 years old at the time of their appointment as a police officer. They must have a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma. They must be a US citizen. They must have a valid driver’s license. They must not have any convictions for felonies, or for Class A or Class B misdemeanors.

After the pool of job applicants is reduced following the written and physical tests, the Police Commission would conduct interviews with the job seekers. Based on those interviews, the commission develops a list of job candidates who would receive conditional offers of employment, provided that the candidates meet applicable hiring standards.

Potential employees are subject to medical examinations, psychological testing, polygraph tests, and personal background checks. The lengthy police hiring process is designed to find the people who are best suited for police work.

People interested in applying for the post of police patrol officer may obtain applications at the police station at 3 Main Street, telephone 426-5841. Hiring information is available on the Internet at: www.newtown-ct.gov/Public_Documents/NewtownCT_Police/Hiring%20Folder/Notice.