After a lengthy testing and selections process, including thorough background investigations, the Trumbull Police Department is welcoming the addition of four (4) new police officer recruits to the town’s police force. The list of these new Trumbull Police Officer recruits are:
- Jack Kingdon, age 24 of Woodbury, CT
- Colin Markus, age 27 of Stratford, CT
- Roberto DaSilva, age 36 of Trumbull, CT
- Andrew Goldstein, age 22 of Norwalk, CT
Kingdon and Markus were sworn in as recruits on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 during a ceremony at the Trumbull Police Department at 4:00 PM, and are currently attending the Bridgeport Police Academy. DaSilva and Goldstein were sworn in as recruits on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 during a ceremony at the Trumbull Police Department at 10:00 AM and are attending the Meriden Police Pcademy.
While attending their respective police academies they will participate in classroom instruction, practical skills and physical fitness conditioning. After graduating they are required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of Field Training to complete their certifications and prepare the recruit officers to serve and perform the many duties of a police officer in today’s community. During the Field Training phase the recruits will ride with training officers who will instruct them on department policies, rules and procedures, while exposing them to actual policing by responding to calls for service.
The police officer training process takes more than eighteen (18) months for the recruits to start working on the road. The Trumbull Police Department currently has 71 certified officers in its ranks. Once certified, these new recruits will add to the total amount of officers, but the department still falls short of its authorized strength of eighty-one (81) officers.
The recruitment and hiring of Trumbull police officers has increasingly become a difficult process, and is more a prevalent issue with numerous other police departments as well. The decrease in numbers of Trumbull officers is in part due to the recent retirement of several officers and also a lengthy process involved in hiring new officers. There are also many other factors contributing to the ongoing difficulties in the hiring process which include: fewer police officer applicants; the COVID-19 pandemic; the transferring of officers to other police agencies; negative portrayals of and attitudes toward police; and lengthy and difficult entrance requirements.
The Trumbull Police Department currently has many desirable benefits, and are continuously working on improving the benefits for its officers. The current starting salary for a Trumbull police officer is $62,123, and increases to $87,070 at the level of top-step patrol officer. Trumbull officers receive generous medical benefits, vacation benefits, life insurance, and a defined contribution 401a retirement plan to name a few. The police department continues to work with the Town of Trumbull towards improving the force by increasing many areas of officer benefits, striving for more applicants, and to retain these officers once they become state certified.
Trumbull is currently looking for additional qualified police officer applicants to fill the vacancies and bring the staff to its maximized level. The Town of Trumbull accepts applications for police officers at PoliceApp.com, and further information is also available on the Town's website.