Oakmont changes requirements for potential police officer hires

Oakmont Council approved changes to regulations that will make the hiring process quicker and more accessible for prospective borough police officers.

The changes in the borough’s hiring process and officer testing requirements were approved in a 5-2 vote during council’s meeting Tuesday.

Council members Isaiah Wilson and Jennifer Paris voted against the new requirements.

During a Dec. 4 council meeting, David Decker of the borough’s civil service commission proposed changes to the Oakmont’s regulations for officer hires.

“We want to look at the rules and amend them to help facilitate and improve upon the hiring process,” Decker told council.

He said the borough has not had luck filling a full-time officer position that has been open for six months. Surrounding communities are also experiencing similar issues, Decker said.

The first change allows the option to hire officers still in a police academy. They will be hired on the contingency of passing all of their required academy classes. Officers will still be required to pass the borough’s oral, written and physical exams.

Decker said hiring officers from the academy allows the borough to begin its pre-screening process earlier.

Another change is the elimination of a 1½-mile run required of officers. Decker said the distance test is a common barrier for veteran officers.

The test will still focus on short-burst speed and strength exercises.

According to previous requirements, male officers 60 or older were required to complete the 1½-mile run in 14 minutes, 23 seconds. A female officer of the same age was required to complete it in 17 minutes, 19 seconds.

With the change, officers are still charged with completing a certain number of situps and pushups in 1 minute and a 300-meter run in a certain amount of time. Those requirements vary by age and gender.

“We want to make sure we aren’t pushing someone out that would be a very good candidate other than this one requirement,” said council President Nancy Ride during Tuesday’s meeting.

Wilson suggested rather than completely getting rid of the 1½-mile run, change the current pass, fail system to a percentage grading system for physical tests.

“They could (have to run that distance),” Wilson said. “When we have parades, the full force is out, and some (officers) are on bikes. If there’s an issue at the top of the hill, and they’re at the bottom of (Allegheny River Boulevard), I would expect them to get to the top of the hill as fast as possible without having to stop. That’s where the cardio part of the test comes in.”

Councilman John Arnold claimed it’s rare for an officer in Oakmont to need to engage in a long-distance foot pursuit without the intervention of any type of transportation.

Ride said that as a smaller community, Oakmont has more need for officers that can carry people out of emergency situations or react quickly in an emergency.

Borough police Chief Michael Ford said during the Dec. 4 meeting that he supported the changes based on what he had seen in the field.