Screening Police Officer Candidates for Truro’s Police Department
When I was asked to participate on a committee to interview candidates for two open positions in the Truro Police Department, I had no idea what I was committing to. I knew I wanted to support the new Chief in his endeavors to strengthen the Police Department and I knew I had some time on my hands. What I did not know was how much I don’t know about what it takes to become a police officer.
Prior to the screening I learned that if a candidate is selected who has not completed the Police Academy, the town pays for the training. I was also informed of the rigorous screening process that includes not only the interviews with the committee and then the Chief of Police, but the physical aptitude testing, a thorough medical evaluation, doing a crime background check, and intensive psychological testing to determine the physical and psychological well-being before making a final decision. I began to appreciate how much of an investment the town makes to ensure that our community is under the protection of well-trained and psychologically-ready police officers. As the only citizen on the committee, I felt a tremendous sense of responsibility.
The screening committee (whose members were made up of a Dispatcher, three Police Officers, the Sergeant, and the Chair of the Board of Selectmen) were given a list of questions to use for each candidate to answer so that the interviews were done in a consistent manner. We spent a day and a half meeting with eight candidates who reflected a variety of backgrounds and personalities. Finally, to prioritize the candidates for the Chief, we used an objective method of calculating from each committee member’s priority list. In the end, the final list of candidates was what we all pretty much agreed on as individual members. I left feeling confident that our town is in good hands and honored to have been asked to participate.
Rebecca Bruyn