Garrett Curtis, Contributing Photographer

The New Haven Police Department — NHPD — concluded its most recent round of recruitment testing for New Haven Police Officers on Nov. 10.

This testing cycle is the first to take place following the New Haven Police Union’s approval of a six-year collective bargaining agreement with the city on Oct. 11, which the officials hope will alleviate long-standing officer shortages in the city. 

The contract, unanimously approved by the Board of Alders on Nov. 11, will offer new work schedules and significantly raise the starting salary for New Haven Police Officers by 25 percent to $70,000.

In a statement to the press released following the Union’s approval, Mayor Justin Elicker highlighted the contract’s potential to “retain [New Haven’s] current officers, recruit new ones and expand the ranks of the police department to help keep [the city’s] residents safe.”

According to Lisa Dadio, the director of the Center for Advanced Policing at the University of New Haven’s Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, the NHPD has historically struggled with maintaining an adequate police-to-population ratio. 

Per a press release following the Board of Alders vote, the NHPD currently has 334 sworn personnel, in contrast to 392 positions for police officers allotted in the department’s FY24-25 budget.

“If the NHPD has a sufficient number of officers, it can more effectively respond to high-crime areas and hotspots, which could reduce overall crime rates and improve public safety,” Dadio wrote to the News.

Supervisor of Recruitment and Background Investigations Sergeant Paul Finch further explained that the contract will make New Haven’s Police Department competitive compared to other cities in Connecticut.

Bridgeport and Waterbury, for instance, offer starting salaries of $71,192 and $70,078 for entry-level police officers, respectively. New Haven previously offered a starting salary of $50,745.

Finch expressed hope that the new contract will decrease the number of vacancies, as the department now has a competitive salary and can “offer great quality of life,” which is what matters to applicants.

Individuals can apply to the NHPD year-round, with the mandatory Complete Health & Injury Prevention test, written and oral exams taking place on a rolling basis. The NHPD also offers biweekly training sessions to help applicants prepare for their CHIP test: the prerequisite for filing an application for an NHPD officer position.

“What we’re looking for [from applicants] is integrity and honesty. When it comes to policing, we’re always trying to be a resource to the New Haven community and beyond,” Finch said.

The New Haven Police Department is located at 1 Union Ave.