The West Haven Police Department has offered jobs to six of the 16 New Haven police officers who were laid off last month.
The officers were laid off as part of the plan to deal with the city’s budge deficit and the police union protested in response. The layoffs became controversial when a spokesperson said that residents should arm themselves because of the lack of police presence.
On Tuesday, the West Haven Board Of Police Commissioners gave conditional offers of employment to six former New Haven Police Officers, contingent upon the officers passing a fitness exam.
On March 7, David Schaefer was sworn in as a patrolman. The other five officers will be sworn in after completing the fitness exam at the end of the month.
Hiring the certified former officers will save West Haven about $32,000 per person, police said.
The savings come because officers will be on patrol on their own much quicker than a new recruit, who would need to spend 400 hours with a certified officer, police said.http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Haven-To-Take-Legal-Action-Against-Police-Union-116504913.html
