Becoming a police officer takes more than a navy blue uniform, polished boots, a shiny badge and the authority to shoot a gun. It takes an unwavering commitment to the physical and mental demands of the job. And South Berwick needs one more person with these qualities to complete the Police Department’s roster.
But the local Police Department is experiencing the same difficulty recruiting officers as other Maine departments.
“We, like all other agencies in Maine and nationwide, are struggling to find candidates that want to become police officers,” said Police Chief David Ruger, acknowledging that the department’s challenge is similar to many across the country. “This is not a profession that one can just walk into one day, receive an acceptance and start the next day. Police officers go through extensive hiring practices.”
As a result it can take weeks or months to hire a single candidate, Ruger noted.
The recent search for officers in South Berwick began in May after voters at Annual Town Meeting approved an expanded budget of $229,000 to add two new officers to the 10-member department.
In June, the department posted a “Now Hiring” letter and flyer on its official Facebook page, listing the requirements and benefits of the job. The letter highlighted “a unique small-town setting” and “a magnitude of training opportunities and certifications across the spectrum of law enforcement.”
One of the two new positions was filled a few months later. A second candidate completed part of the process but in the end did not meet all requirements, according to the chief.
In late October, a second Facebook post looking to recruit candidates included a letter from Ruger indicating another “job opportunity” and repeating the requirements and benefits of serving in the South Berwick community.
To be a police officer in Maine, individuals must be at least 21, pass the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s reading comprehension and writing test, have a valid driver’s license, and not have a criminal record or serious driving record, according to the recruitment letter from Ruger and Lt. Scott Stephens. The candidate must also meet the minimum physical fitness requirements of the police academy.
The physical fitness requirements include a one-minute push-up test, a one-minute sit-up test and a 1.5-mile run. A male between 20 and 29 must complete 29 push-ups in one minute, 38 sit-ups in one minute and run 1.5 miles in 12.38 minutes. A female of that age must complete 15 push-ups and 32 sit-ups in the same time and run 1.5 miles in 14.5 minutes.
If the candidate meets all of the academy standards, Ruger said, they are then interviewed to make sure the candidate would be a good fit for the department and for town residents.
If all goes well up to this point, the field training officers start a 400-hour training program for candidates who have not yet attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy or 200 hours for those who have completed the academy.
New hires must complete the academy’s Law Enforcement Officer Pre-Service Training Program, which ensures police officers with the power to make arrests and the authority to carry a firearm meet certain requirements. The first part of the program is a 40-hour online training followed by an 80-hour classroom training at the academy in Vassalboro.
Within a year of being hired, officers also need to complete the academy’s Basic Law Enforcement Program, an 18-week residency in Vassalboro, about 112 miles from South Berwick.
“We strive to get the candidate entered into the police academy as soon as possible after being hired.” Ruger said.
Courses cover cultural diversity and dealing with the vulnerable; communications, including stress management and crisis conflict management; the law and legal issues; traffic; investigations; patrol; and law enforcement skills, including firearms.
New police officers cannot cover personal injury crashes without a supervisor’s oversight and cannot engage in vehicle chases before attending the academy, Ruger said.
Pay for new officers ranges from $58,572 to $73,362, and more for evening and night hours, with overtime possible. Benefits include a retirement savings account, insurance options, and a fitness room in the police station, according to the online posting. Officers get a paid hour per shift to work out.
The South Berwick Police Department, according to Sgt. Jeff Pelkey, the department’s longest serving officer, is “a breath of fresh air compared to other communities recruiting police officers.”
