Police officers from departments across the state will host a Law Enforcement Career Fair Thursday at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in hopes of diversifying the field.
“We’re going to have representatives from the Hartford Police Department as well as Bridgeport, New Haven and Waterbury,” Lt. Marisol Rodriguez-Velez said. “We’re hoping to spark some interest and engage minority-based communities. Obviously all are welcome, but the main goal is to appeal to minority applicants and provide them with what we have to offer.”
The free event will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1214 Main St. in Hartford.
Representatives from the capitol city’s traffic division, marine unit, bomb squad and recruitment divisions will also be in attendance, Rodriguez-Velez said.
The event will answer questions and provide insight to what the career entails.
The police departments are “actively recruiting and we have an open application,” Rodriguez-Velez added.
The extensive application process generally includes a physical ability, written, oral and drug test alongside an interview with the Chief of Police, background investigation and polygraph, psychological and physical examinations.
In 2019, the Hartford Police Department’s first class of qualified applicants (Feb. 11 through April 1) consisted of 127 individuals, 39% of which were minorities. Fifteen became candidates, where minorities represented 56% of the class.
The Hartford recruiting team consists of Rodriguez-Velez, Sgt. Steve Austin, an African-American male, and Officer Victor Marquez, a Hispanic male.
“It’s important when we’re out there recruiting, one, that I’m a woman and a Latina, that people can see themselves in me,” Rodriguez-Velez said. “I mirror them and they can see it is a possibility and that it’s within their reach and they’re able to be a police officer and be successful.”
For more information, interested individuals should go to the police department’s social media pages.
Jessika Harkay can be reached at jharkay@courant.com.
![By TARA COPP (Associated Press) BOSTON (AP) — There has been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad, two African countries that are integral to the military’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, a top U.S. military official told The Associated Press on […]](https://www.courant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Niger_US_Presence_99160_5253fb.jpg?w=467 "By TARA COPP (Associated Press) BOSTON (AP) — There has been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad, two African countries that are integral to the military’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, a top U.S. military official told The Associated Press on […]")