Getting on the force is no simple task

The path to becoming a Connecticut police officer can be a lengthy one.

According to the state’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council (ct.gov/post), to become an officer an individual must first meet several requirements, including passing separate written, physical fitness and psychological tests, as well as an oral interview — all administered by the local police department.

After an individual has met all of that unit’s entry requirements, his or her name is added to the list of eligible candidates. The local department hires new recruits from the approved pool.

The department then sends that individual to the state’s Police Officer Standards and Training Council’s Basic Training Program. Although five locations in the state conduct basic training programs, some 90 percent of recruits go through the program at the Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden.

The basic training program at the Connecticut Police Academy lasts about five months. New recruits are required to live at the academy from 8 a.m. on Monday to 6 p.m. Friday each week.

In order to graduate from the academy, recruits must receive a grade of 70 percent or better on 14 different academic tests and a series of practical skill exams.

But successfully completing academy training is only part of the journey. After graduation, a candidate must complete a field training program with the local police unit. This training, which is supervised by a senior officer within the hiring department, must be at least 400 hours. The recruit must also complete a separate departmental training program, which adds a minimum of 80 additional hours.

After completing all portions of the required training programs, the new recruit is certified as a police officer in the state of Connecticut. That certification lasts for three years.

Employed officers must renew their certification by completing a training review program every three years.