Cadet Program

The Waltham Police department will seek residents between the ages of eighteen and twenty-three who have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate and pass the Police Cadet Examination and Screening Process. Qualified recruits will be considered for the position of police cadet. The cadets will work in various administrative, police related job capacities.

Goals
To assist the department in identifying and hiring motivated and highly qualified young adult residents who are interested in careers as police officers and providing them with law enforcement training, combined with actual work experience in police related duties. The cadet program will create for the department a pool of potential candidates for the position of police officers. These candidates will be highly skilled and knowledgeable in many functions of police service. Cadets will be placed in positions of responsibility within the Waltham Police Department that will provide them with an opportunity to prove themselves worthy to serve the community of Waltham as police officers To enable the department to attract highly qualified minority candidates so that the composition of the department more closely approximates that of the community in which we serve. To facilitate assigning sworn officers to duties more appropriate to their level of training and skills.

Hiring Process
	The department will select the most qualified individuals from the pool of competing candidates. Preference will be given to citizen residents. All appointments to the cadet force shall be made in accordance with department recruitment procedures and shall be consistent with the provisions of section 26 of Chapter 31 of the Massachusetts General Laws. In order to meet affirmative action objectives, the City of Waltham may waive residency requirements. The selection process will include but not be limited to the following:
	Written examination: The candidate must pass a written examination prepared by a professional testing service. Such exam shall be statistically validated based on accepted professional techniques of empirical, statistical, and criterion-related data. Additionally it will be based on job analysis and must be statistically validated to insure no adverse impact to minorities and females. Strength/agility test: The candidate must pass a physical strength and agility test approved by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council. Background investigation: Only candidates deemed by the Appointing Authority as being of good moral character will be considered. Such determination being made after an extensive background investigation which will include interviews with the following: Family Members Neighbors School personnel Employers References Developed References Oral interview: Each candidate will be given an oral interview that will evaluate among other qualities, decision-making capabilities, character, poise, self-confidence, and ability to relate to the community at large Medical examination: Each successful candidate must pass a complete medical examination approved by the Personnel Department and the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Training Council. Psychological examination: Each candidate must pass a psychological examination specifically designed for police candidates. Random Drug Testing: Each cadet must have successfully passed each and every random drug test administered by the police department during the course of his/her employment. The frequency and type of said tests to be determined solely at the discretion of the Chief of Police.

Training
	Candidates will be given initial and ongoing training to ensure that they perform their duties in a professional and efficient manner, which is consistent with the values of the Waltham Police Department and the community that it serves. The staff of the Waltham Police Academy will design the initial training received by cadets. Subject matter will include but not be limited to:
	Philosophy of Community Policing Criminal Law Constitutional Law Customer Service First Responder/CPR Social Service Facilitation Job Related Procedures Dispatch Training Crime Prevention Empathy Training Emergency Call taker training Report Writing Job related skills
	An ongoing in-service training program will be implemented once the cadets are hired requiring cadets to attend no less than forty hours of specialized in service training each year. Cadets must maintain at least a passing grade in job related skills and performance tests in order to remain in the program.

Duties Performed
	Cadet duties shall include but are not limited to:
	File and maintain records Operate office machines Answer telephones Type reports Receive minor complaints Prepare routine reports Operate department computers Check on the welfare of prisoners Perform other duties of an administrative nature
	Cadets shall not perform any law enforcement duties, they shall not carry arms, and shall not have the power of arrest.

Conclusion
	The benefits of this program are multi-fold. Young adults who are interested in law enforcement will be given the opportunity to work and become involved in the police department. It will make all cadets who wish to become police officer candidates more knowledgeable about police work along with being a beneficial educational experience when they take the police examination. The cadet program will enhance our ability to attract interested minority and women candidates, thus establishing a balance composite of future eligible police officer candidates for the City of Waltham. All police officers who were once cadets will come to the job experienced and confident in their ability to succeed in difficult and gratifying job of police officer. The administration of the police department will be able to better evaluate the candidates’ values, work ethic, and potential for success, as Waltham Police Officers