75 Applicants Take Test For Patrol Officer

By Andrew Gorosko

Approximately 75 people took the police department’s written examination for the position of police patrol officer, which was conducted Saturday, April 2, at Newtown High School, according to Police Chief Michael Kehoe.

Ninety-three people had initially applied to take the four-hour examination, which checks the “common sense” abilities of those taking the test, Chief Kehoe said. A $50 fee is charged to take the test.

The examination includes multiple-choice questions, plus queries that test the applicants’ writing skills. Those who took the test are largely from Connecticut, with some applicants from New York State. Several test takers are Newtown residents. About 80 percent of those who took the test are male, Chief Kehoe said.

Two people who are certified police officers in other police departments took an examination that is designed for people who are already police officers, Chief Kehoe noted.

Chief Kehoe said he expects that the test results will be scored by April 11, after which police will create a list of those applicants who will proceed with additional testing.

The police chief said he expects that about 35 people will qualify to take the second phase of testing on April 23 at the high school sports stadium. That physical agility testing includes a 1.5-mile run, sit-ups, sit-and-reach exercises, and push-ups. Performance standards are based on age and gender.

Detective Joseph Joudy coordinates the hiring of new police officers.

The police department is currently at its full complement of 43 sworn officers.

The starting pay for the patrol officer position is $40,298 annually, plus fringe benefits. The starting pay is higher for people who already have police academy certifications. Applicants must be at least 21 years old by July 30, 2005.

Positions that become vacant as police officers leave the police department would be filled by the Police Commission from by the pool of applicants to be created through the police officer testing process.

People who have been convicted of a felony or convicted of a Class A or Class B misdemeanor are not eligible to apply for police work.

After the pool of job applicants is reduced following the written and physical tests, the Police Commission conducts 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.