The New Haven Police Department is hiring officers for 90 open positions.
“We were at 523 applicants last year, we are hoping to surpass that number,” said Sergeant Paul Finch.
The application to become a police officer opens up on Aug. 1. Police say within the last few years they have seen a decline in applicants, as police departments nationwide grapple with growing mistrust among the public.
“We are on par with national trends, national trends are seeing 50% decreases in applications,” said Assistant Chief David Zannelli.
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On Wednesday, police and city officials visited the neighborhoods of Dixwell and Newhallville to encourage local residents to join the force.
“We think that will also bridge some of the gaps between the trust issues we see. So, if you see police officers that you are familiar with, that you came up with, the theory is that will help us and we will solve more violent crimes that way,” Zannelli said.
Mayor Justin Elicker said in addition to three large scale recruitment efforts, city officials have also been door knocking on a weekly basis.
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“Our hope is that we reach some people who may not even have considered ‘I can be a police officer’ and attract them to get more information and hopefully join the force,” Elicker said.
The application process is open through Sept. 2.
“We are hoping that those that actually apply stay true to the application process and follow through the physical agility test, written test, oral test,” Finch explained.
To help train for the physical test, the police department is holding free training sessions on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4:30 p.m. at Bowen Field.
For more information and to apply, click here. You can also apply by clicking here.
