The Syracuse Police Department has a 4 percent acceptance rate for new recruits and a rigorous application process for individuals interested in joining. Only 34 recruits out of 831 applicants were appointed to the rank of police officer Monday morning.

The hiring process started 123 days ago on Aug. 5. Once those interested filled out the 29-page application for the position, they were given extensive background checks and a polygraph exam. The applicants still in the running then answered 700 questions as part of a psychological test and met with a psychologist afterward. Finally, each remaining applicant was interviewed by SPD officials.

“These (34 recruits) had the best answers,” said SPD Lt. Jonathan Hamblin during a ceremony held at Fowler High School in Syracuse for the newly appointed officers in SPD’s Class No. 18. “After all that, here they are. And in two days, the academy starts.”

Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner spoke during the ceremony and thanked the parents of the recruits for supporting their children through this process.

“You have delivered us individuals who are exquisite, and that didn’t happen just by itself,” Miner said. “It happened because of all of your loved ones, all those years and all that time and tears and anger and discipline to make sure you are the caliber of human being that you are.”

Addressing the parents, she added that SPD and other city officials, like herself, will do everything they can to ensure the safety and proper training of the new recruits.

The parents of the recruits will continue to be a necessary part of their children’s lives, Miner said, because what they will be going through at the police academy will push them and challenge them in new ways. In addition, she said the parents support will be needed once the recruits become police officers because “this is a job like no other.”

“We expect the most of our police officers when often people that they are being called to help are in the worst of circumstances,” Miner said. “We expect our police officers to keep a level head when everyone around them has lost theirs. We expect them to be dignified and compassionate when all circumstances tell them not to do that.”

And that is why SPD goes through so many candidates for the 35 spots open in the recruiting class, Miner said.

Monday’s ceremony was dedicated to SPD Officer James Morris, who died last week at the age of 56. Morris had served a police officer in Syracuse for more than 20 years.

The mayor said it was fitting that this ceremony was being held on the same day as the memorial for Morris.

SPD Chief Frank Fowler started out his portion of the ceremony with a joke about having the same last name as the namesake for Fowler High School.

Fowler also addressed the parents in the audience, saying that their children have been going through a challenging recruitment process.

“But it’s just the beginning,” Fowler said. “This is one of the toughest times of their lives. They’re going to be challenged in ways they could never imagine and ways that you certainly cannot imagine.”

The police chief also echoed Miner in saying that the recruits will need the support of their family members during this time and in the future.

When addressing the 34 recruits, Fowler said they were coming into a very challenging time in law enforcement. But he said he knows the recruits are ready to face these challenges because of the extensive application process they went through.

“You’ve set yourself apart from your peers,” Fowler said to the recruits.

He ended his speech by asking the recruits two questions. The first was, by a show of hands, “How many of you are quitters?” No one raised their hand. The second question was “Are you ready?” To which each recruit responded with, “Yes, sir.”

After the ceremony, the recruits and their families gathered in the hallways of Fowler High School to embrace one another and take photos.

In two days, the new recruits will start their six-month long journey through police academy training.

Published on December 5, 2016 at 11:31 pm

Contact Sara: smswann@syr.edu | @saramswann