5 ​“Lateral” Cops Headed For NHPD, Maybe

The police department has made conditional offers of employment, pending background checks, to five officers currently working in other towns or at least already certified and trained.

This interest by ​“laterals” in coming to New Haven represents the success of a new recruitment tactic in response to recent years’ ​“blue exodus” and to help fill the ranks of the NHPD.

The conditional offers of employment, at the request of Chief Renee Dominguez, were approved Tuesday night in a unanimous vote by the Board of Police Commissioners as part of their regular Zoom-assisted monthly meeting.

Back in October the commissioners passed a General Order 2.15 entitled ​“New Hire Policy.” The thrust of the order was to a create two separate lists from which the police commission — the body that legally hires, and fires, officers on the recommendation of the chief — can approve new officers.

Cadets who go through New Haven’s selection process and the academy will continue to be on one list.

Fully trained officers from other departments — ​“lateral” hires — will now be on a separate list that can more efficiently be brought for the review and potential approval of the commissioners.

“So now we have a separate process for Connecticut or out-of-state officers” to consider coming to New Haven, then-Chief Otoniel Reyes said in October when the new order was approved.

Tuesday night the two-list approach resulted in the conditional officers being made to Omar Thomas, Jordan Lytle, Frank Capozzi, and Stephanie James.

In an email exchange after the meeting, Commission Chair Evelise Ribeiro said, ​“These candidates, may currently be police officers in other departments or may be separated from another department for no more than 2 years and their certification is still active. The conditional offers will allow the NHPD to begin the background process for all 5 candidates. Once the background process is completed, they will be presented to the Board for approval to hire or removal from the Civil Service list.”

She said the streamlined approach will save the city time and money — the laterals receive some training but not the extensive Academy course.

Under the current process, conditional job offers are made to everyone who took and passed the initial test and achieved a passing score. But they can still be disqualified at the next step of the process, background checks.

Ribeiro had no information available at this time which towns the candidates have or are currently serving in, or what their specific reasons might be to come to New Haven. Such information is likely to emerge in the background and other checks that are just beginning.

“Typically [lateral] candidates have stated that they want to be part of a busy city with a strong policing philosophy and opportunities for promotion and to join specialized units within the NHPD,” she said.

The lateral postings are posted on PoliceApp.com. There have been 2 postings since the general order was approved in October. The New Hire postings are also posted on PoliceApp.com