The University of Oregon Police Department hired three new police officers out of a pool of 104 applicants after almost five months of interviews, exams, background checks and screenings.
Allison Hart, John Loos and Steven Barrett left for Salem, Ore. on Oct. 14 to attend the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Basic Police Academy. The training lasts four months and consists of classroom time, physical and written exams, defensive tactics, driving tests and simulated patrols. The academy is paid for by the State of Oregon but to attend an individual must already be hired by a police force, according to the DPSST website.
After returning from the training, each individual will be assigned to multiple field-training officers for another 16-20 weeks, after which they will be able to patrol regularly. UOPD has not decided whether the new officers will complete all the field training with UOPD or some time with other units due to the small number of supervisors available on campus.
The process began in April when UOPD and Human Resources started requesting applicants. Two exams, a physical obstacle course and a written test had to be taken and passed before the application was considered complete, according to UOPD Communications Director Kelly McIver.
The Oregon Physical Abilities Test was held in June. The 1,235-foot obstacle course is designed to test participants in aspects of agility, flexibility, strength, mobility and endurance. While ORPAT is meant to assess candidates on physical ability, a person who maintains a certain level of fitness can easily pass, UOPD Lt. Brandon Lebrecht said.
According to the DPSST website students will have two opportunities to successfully complete the ORPAT within a time frame of five minutes 30 seconds.
After the applicants successfully completed the physical abilities test they were required to pass a written exam the next day. Once both of the requirements were met the application was complete and interviews were scheduled.
During the interviews, panel members, including Lt. Lebrecht, looked for applicants who would be a good fit for campus — primarily someone with public speaking and interviewing skills.
Hart, Loos and Barrett were also required to go through extensive background checks, where former law enforcement officers were hired to interview all past employers, friends and family, investigate past activities and submit the findings to a hiring panel in a report. In addition, medical and drug screenings as well as a psychological exam must be passed. Finally, after all criteria were met, the job was offered.
While the process takes months to complete,it is necessary to acquire the best candidates as UOPD continues to transform from a public safety department to a police force.
“Even before it was a police force, the university public safety was hiring like this,” Lt. Lebrecht said.