New police hires on their way

Saratoga Chief of Police Tom Knickerbocker reports the new patrol officer and part-time dispatcher have been hired pending the finalization of Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) vetting process. “They’ve both actually been hired,” said Knickerbocker.

Knickerbocker said that both candidates, Cindy Talbott as part-time dispatcher and Bobby Chitwood as part-time patrol officer have passed their pre-requirements from Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (POST) which includes a physiological exam, fingerprinting and criminal background check and a medical exam.

Patrol officer candidate Bobby Chitwood recently passed a firearms qualifications test which permits him to carry a firearm in the town of Saratoga as part of the department.

“In the meantime we have started Cindy training with another dispatcher,” Knickerbocker said.

Chitwood is expected to start training on Feb. 9. That begins with administrative training under Knickerbocker, moving to ride-alongs with Sgt. Kenneth Lehr for a few weeks and then training with each officer in the department.

Once all of the POST results are in and DCI has a chance to verify the results, Talbott and Chitwood will receive temporary certification numbers. After that, the police department has two years in which to send the new employees to the police academy so they can receive permanent certification. The patrol officer academy is a 13-week program and the dispatcher program is two weeks.

The new police dispatch schedule has already been implemented and Knickerbocker is awaiting approval from the town council to begin the new patrol officer schedule and on-call policy. The patrol officer policies were on the agenda for Tuesday’s town council meeting and Knickerbocker said he hopes he can begin the new patrol officer schedule on Feb. 9.