Long Days

These last two days have been really long and tiring. I've not been sleeping well again (damn hormones!) which doesn't help things any.

Saturday was Entry Level Police Officer testing. We had 72 people show up and take the physical. 63 passed and took the written test. 52 scored 70% or higher on the written exam so they were scheduled for a Civil Service Commission interview either today and yesterday.

After the interviews, the C.S.C certifies a list of applicants that we (the PD) then work from. We do background investigations on the certified applicants first. That takes about six to eight weeks to complete. If they pass that, we do our own department interview, psych eval, polygraph, drug screen and a physical. If they pass all those-they are given a job offer. It's a long, drawn out process.

Anyways.....when we do C.S.C interviews, it's a big deal. Their opinions/scores count for 70% of the applicant's overall score. The C.S.C "governs" both the Police Department and the Fire Department-they have a part in all the hiring and firing that goes on within our two departments. While they are interviewing applicants, it's our (the PD) job to make sure the C.S.C is comfortable and that they have any and everything they need-including food and drinks.

So that's what I've been doing the past two days-entertaining the C.S.C, helping figure scores, reassuring applicants that they did just fine, explaining background packets, notarizing forms, fetching food for the C.S.C and filling out spread sheets.

We also did some laughing. The four C.S.C'ers that did the interviewing are four very different people with four extremely different personalities. Some of the conversations that were had-holy cow! Some were very funny; some you just shook your head in disbelief in.

Most of our applicants looked pretty good. Of course we have the typical people that you come across in any job interview process. You know, the ones that come in jeans that are ripped out in the knees and a t-shirt. Or shorts and tennis shoes. Or the guy who had the collar of his suit "popped up" like people used to do to polo shirts. The cocky ones who think they should be given a job just because...well, just because they are cool. The "Joe Blow" that comes to his interview wearing a gun on his belt just because he thought since he had a concealed handgun permit, well, he was allowed to walk around with a gun on his belt (yea, don't think he'll make that mistake again!)! The girl who answered the question "What brought you here to Arkansas from California?" with "My car." The ones who are so nervous they can't (and don't) talk. The one who sincerely wanted a job so bad that he moved one of the Commissioners to tears-literally. We had a good mix of people to say the least.

It doesn't sound like I've done much when your reading it on paper, but trust me, it's exhausting. We worked ten hours yesterday and nine hours today. We finally finished up tonight around 6:00 and have our certified list. Tomorrow morning I have to go in early, type up the minutes of the last two days, get it signed off on by the C.S.C secretary, then get the certified list posted before noon.

Thankfully I have a great husband and kiddo and they've been a big help the last two days. Steve has picked Tanner up from school and they've come home and had dinner just about fixed by time I get home. They also clean it up! Pretty good, huh?

The hiring process is one of the my favorite things to be apart of. Usually by time we hire them, I know them better than they know themselves, thanks to helping with their backgrounds. A lot of them I call "my kids" or "my babies" because they are so young and green around the gills when they stat. I love seeing the process come full circle and seeing the excitement and pride in the new recruit when we are pinning on badges and giving them ID cards for the first time. It makes the past two days totally worth it.

I'm off to bed. I'm tired and 5:00 is going to come way too early, I'm sure!

Nite!