Cop Hopefuls Chase Dreams In The Home Stretch

More than 40 people braved the heat of the first day of summer at Bowen Field pushing their bodies to prove their physical readiness to become future New Haven police officers.

Some of them were like Jamarr Daniels, a 25-year-old New Haven native, Wilbur Cross High graduate. He really wants a career in law enforcement.

At 10 he was a Police Activities League (PAL) camper who would go on to become a worker at the annual summer camp. While in high school he participated in the Police Explorers program while at one point simultaneously interning for the police department.

“I’ve kind of been around for a long time,” Daniels, who is currently a Comcast communications technician, said with a chuckle. 

That’s part of what has kept Daniels, who helped demonstrate proper sit-up technique to fellow police hopefuls Wednesday, coming back to an agility workshop that the city’s police department has been holding to help people prepare for the actual agility test which will be held July 8 – 9.

Those who pass the agility test will be allowed to take the written exam on July 15, which will be followed by oral boards on July 22 – 23.

Daniel is cueing up for his fourth time trying to become a New Haven police officer. He said the first couple of times the written portion of the test thwarted his chances. The third time it was a component of the psychological evaluation that tripped him up. He’s pretty confident in his abilities on the agility test, but still attended the first three agility workshops held by the department’s recruitment team.

“I look at it as the fourth time is a charm,” he said.

Sgt. Manmeet Colon is looking for that kind of persistence from potential recruits as the department enters the home stretch for accepting applications for those who want to become police officers for an upcoming class. People who hope to be recruited in this next round of hiring by the police department have until 11:59 p.m. on Friday to fill out an application online. (For a link to the application click here.)

She said that the police department’s recruitment team is hoping for more than a thousand applicants; it had received 901 applications as of about 3:30 p.m. Thursday. It’s holding the agility workshops to help more people be successful on that test. The workshops are led by instructors from the New Haven Police Academy.

On Wednesday, a diverse crowd of would-be police academy recruits, went through the components of the agility test — sit ups, push ups, a 1.5‑mile run, and a 300-meter sprint on a track. That helps them to assess their fitness, Colon said. On Saturdays, workshop participants work on developing their fitness so that they can make gains, particularly in weak areas and be ready for test day.

Juanita Powell was one of the people thankful for the workshop Wednesday. The 34-year-old construction worker said like Daniels, she’s making another attempt at becoming a New Haven police officer. Originally from New York City, she has lived in the Elm City for 15 years.

“I tried the first time and I really didn’t give it all I had,” she said. ​“But I came back and this go round, I’m really trying to meet that mark.”

She said she’s been walking and trying to do more running, but admitted that the initial warm up lap around the track had her a bit winded. She said there weren’t agility workshops when she tried out last time, and she was really grateful to get a better sense of the proper way to do the different components of the test.

Workshop attendees learned that the agility test is very technical from the 12 inches that can be between your feet and your butt when you prepare to do your sit ups to the proper way to cup your ears while performing them. Their ability to listen and follow instructions during that test is as important as their actual performance.

Powell said she believes that by July 8, she will be able to do the 1.5 mile run in 16 minutes and 43 seconds, which is the requirement for her age and gender group. She said she wants to be a New Haven police officer because she believes she has the personality for it and because she wants to follow in the footsteps of family members that include to New York City police officers, and two corrections officers.

“I want to be a part of the family business,” she said.

In addition to New Haven natives and transplants, there were people like Sharief Ammar, a 22-year-old who graduated from Southern Connecticut State University who wants to pursue a career in law enforcement. He currently works at Woodbridge Social, a restaurant at the New Haven-Woodbridge line. He participated in his university police department’s citizen academy.

“I fully back the community policing idea,” he said. ​“I support making a difference and want to get my foot in the door.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum Wednesday from Ammar was Angelico Cordero, a 48-year-old crane operator, and New Jersey native. Cordero said he’s ready for a career instead of just a job. He lives in West Haven. He said that the fact that New Haven’s department didn’t have an age limit made him want to give being an officer here a go.

“I’ve always been interested in law enforcement,” he said. ​“I like to help people and I like the camaraderie among police officers. I’d also like to go to college and pursue a higher education,” as an officer.

Though the department could hire as many as 35 new officers during this go round, Colon said that she hopes it creates a pool of applicants who understand the process and are prepared every time the department is hiring. She also said that people should know that they get a few extra points if they live in New Haven, if they have prior military service, and if they’re a disabled veteran.

“I love doing it,” she said of holding the workshops. ​“I just keep telling people out here don’t quit. Don’t give up.”

Daniels isn’t giving up.

“I’ve always believed that you can’t complain about change until you help make the change,” he said.