City seeks to enlist new cops

The Philadelphia Police Department is looking for a few good men --and women -- to join the ranks of Philadelphia's finest. The department began accepting applications for the Police Officer Recruitment Examination late last month, Philadelphia Police Recruitment Coordinator Edwin Moore said. According to a flyer advertising the recruitment, only ex-convicts, high school drop-outs, foreigners, and people under the age of 17 will be turned away from the examination. Although from the flyers it may seem that almost any law-abiding American can obtain a badge, Moore said the police department is actually very selective when it comes to picking Philadelphia's next batch of men and women in blue. Recruits must undergo a "rigorous screening process," he said. Private detectives spend two to three months investigating each of the recruit's backgrounds, he added. Along with making the routine checks into the recruits' credit histories and junior high school and high school records, Moore said the private detectives even "talk to his neighbors [and] visit the stores he goes to." Those who pass the recruitment examination --which will be held September 17 -- may enter the Philadelphia Police Academy if they are selected by the Police Recruitment Unit. In the last recruitment examination given in October 1993, 12,000 of the 16,000 applicants actually took the recruitment examination. From that pool, 9,000 passed the test. Recruits spend five months in the Academy, during which they study laws, directives, criminal codes and the handling of firearms. They must also achieve state-mandated physical fitness standards to receive a certificate. Sergeant Fred Cotton, who got his certificate from the Philadelphia Police Academy, said he learned the basics in "a typical classroom setting." Although he thinks "college students wouldn't find it as hard as college," the training period is still "intense," Cotton said. "You definitely have to study," he added. "It's like a college course condensed in five months." Those who successfully complete the Police Academy can expect a starting salary of $23,750 as Police Officers with regular increases up to a maximum of $33,832. A police officer receives several dental, medical, prescription, and life insurance benefits. Moore said that approximately 15,000 applications are expected to be received for this recruiting session.