With scores of police officers about to retire, Bridgeport wants to recruit new cops, with special preference on testing given to city residents.
"Citizens get an extra 15 percent on the exam," said Capt. Lonnie Blackwell. "If you're from this community, you can be a great officer."
Improved pensions are leading veteran officers to retire, he said, and Bridgeport officials want to be able to replace them as needed.
The test is scheduled for April 11, said Chief Joseph Gaudette.
"Everybody knows somebody who'd be a great police officer in the city of Bridgeport," Gaudette said.
He said the list of candidates could cover two years of new classes of officers, at 32 per class.
Mayor Bill Finch made a special appeal to women to consider becoming cops because of their sensitivity to domestic violence, "a scourge on the state of Connecticut," he said.
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Police have distributed flyers in the city.
"We're in the eateries, we're in the barber shops," explained Blackwell.
