Police Officer Hiring Standards

City of Bridgeport Requirements:

The Bridgeport Police Department appreciates your interest in employment with our agency. We are a State of Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council Accredited police department, dedicated to delivering professional law enforcement services to our community by hiring the most qualified individuals.

The Bridgeport Police Department seeks motivated and goal-oriented individuals with a high moral standard.

Below is a list of guidelines we follow when reviewing applicants backgrounds. This list does not constitute all applicable standards for hiring for this department.

An individual will not be eligible for employment with the Bridgeport Police Department if they:

• Have been convicted of a felony crime or a crime requiring the person to register per Connecticut state law.
• Have been convicted of any Class A or B Misdemeanor other than minor traffic violation.
• Have committed an act of perjury or false statement.
• Have been arrested for Domestic Violence or Domestic assault.
• Have been Dishonorably Discharged from the military service.
• Have been terminated for cause from any department of local, state or federal government.

  Consuming or possessing without prescription or experimenting with any of the drugs in the following categories within three (3) years of the date of the written exam will be disqualifying:

• Cannabis substances (i.e., marijuana, hashish, hash oil, gange, etc.)
• Stimulants or depressants (cocaine, crank, crystal methamphetamine, GHB, ecstasy, etc.)
• Steroids (i.e., dianabol, etc.)

  Consuming or possessing without prescription or experimenting with any of the drugs in the following categories will be disqualifying regardless of the time frame:

• Hallucinogens (i.e., LSD, PCP, peyote, mushrooms, acid, mescaline, etc.) Narcotics (i.e., heroin, morphine, opium, codeine, methadone, etc.)

  Other factors considered, but not limited to, is the individual's:

  • Employment/military history
  • Driving history
  • Criminal activity – involvement in non-detected crimes
  • Truthfulness and character issues

  The City of Bridgeport is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

    Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST-C)

 Certification Requirements

To qualify for a police officer certification in Connecticut, an applicant must meet all relevant entry-level requirements, some of which are that the candidate:

• Be a citizen of the United States
• Be at least 21 years of age
• Be a high school graduate, or have passed the General Educational Development test (GED)
• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license
• Pass a validated written entry test *
• Have been fingerprinted, and a search made of fingerprint files for any record *
• Have been the subject of a polygraph examination (by POST Council approved polygraph examiners only) *
• Have been the subject of a psychological examination *
• Have not tested positive on a controlled substance drug screen *
• Have met all physical fitness requirements
• Have been examined and certified by a Council accepted method as fit to perform the duties of a probationary candidate police officer (or a lateral transfer of a certified police officer

* For the City of Bridgeport, the Office of the Civil Service Commission coordinates these items for qualified candidates.

This list is not all inclusive and there are more POST-C requirements, which may be found on the State of CT's website:

POST-C Certification Requirements