Issue #1 - March 30, 2007

Training

What You Go Through to Become a Policeman in the Hamptons

By Christian McLean

It is a shame that some people have taken on a “one bad apple spoils the bunch” attitude in regard to the recent charges against Southampton Town Police Officer Guy Giammatteo. Granted, much of this is due to media portrayals of police in film and newspapers, but it seems rather sad that, in this day and age, anyone can simply chastise an entire group of people for one person’s alleged actions. Of course it’s not true. We thought it would be helpful to describe what an applicant goes through to become a police officer here. It demonstrates why almost all our officers perform above and beyond. What happened last week is the rare exception, not the rule.

There are 102 full-time officers on the Southampton Town Police force. The men and women of the Town police are the best of their class and have proven themselves through extensive examinations and skill tests.

This is how it is done.

The first step toward becoming a Southampton Town Police officer is living in Southampton Town. They don’t hire officers from outside their jurisdiction. Once residency has been established, prospective officers must take the Suffolk County Civil Service Examination, which is only offered once every four years (the next one is on Saturday, June 9, but registration ends on April 11).

Let’s say they pass the test. Their names go on a list of eligible people in Suffolk County. Depending on need, the Southampton Town Police Department examines that list and chooses one of the top three candidates for the position. It is at this point that the candidate is presented with a series of evaluations, which can take up to eight months to complete.

First, there is the physical examination, which consists of timed pushups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run. The requirements for passing these tests are on a sliding scale, based on age and gender. For example, a male in the 20-29 age bracket must complete 29 pushups in a minute, 38 sit-ups in a minute, and run 1.5 miles in 12 minutes and 29 seconds. A woman of the same age is required to complete 15 pushups, 35 sit-ups (each in a minute) and run a mile and a half in under 15 minutes and five seconds. If the candidate does not pass the physical portion of the test, they are given 30 days to train and try again. If they fail a second time, they lose their opportunity to proceed and must return to the Civil Service list.

Assuming they pass the physical evaluation (and, let’s face it, those aren’t the most demanding tests for someone who will be putting their life on the line every day), they move on to more exams. There is a comprehensive medical evaluation, which includes tests of acuity vision — 20/30 vision — or, if they wear glasses or contacts to achieve 20/30 vision, their unaided vision must be 20/100 and they must have binocular field vision (horizontal vision) of at least 170 degrees. There are heart (blood pressure, etc.), respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and metabolic, neurological, musculoskeletal health, dermatological health and mental health (alcoholism, nervous disorder) tests which also must be performed on candidates to make sure that they are fit for the field.

Once the medical evaluation is completed and the candidate passes, they undergo a personality evaluation, which involves written tests and interviews to determine the “suitability of a candidate’s personality for the position of police officer.” Finally, they must pass a polygraph test.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, they are selected to attend the Suffolk County Police Academy in Brentwood for six months of training. At the police academy, they learn all the techniques and procedures that they will one day apply on the job. But graduation from the academy doesn’t mean that they are ready to be sent out to walk the beat. When they arrive at the Southampton Town Police Department, they are assigned to a certified Field Training Officer (a senior officer in the department) for two months. During this evaluation period, the rookie is observed to make sure they can successfully apply what they learned in the academy to their job, and to make sure that they can complete their work properly on a physical and psychological level.

It is only then, after evaluations, the academy, and this final, two-month period that they are assigned a squad, a sector and the title of Officer in the Southampton Town Police Department. All 102 members, from the Chief to the newest officers, have passed this gauntlet in order to staff our town with one of the most competent police forces in the county. So before you pass judgment on 102 skilled men and women, remember what it takes to become a Southampton Town Police Officer. They are there to serve and protect you — and once trained, they do one hell of a good job.