By Joyce Kryszak
BUffalo, NY – Police recruit hopefuls should know by the end of August if they made the grade to become one of Buffalo's finest.
Nearly three thousand exam takers have been waiting since early April to hear if they made it. The exam was supposed to be given in January but delayed so the city could reach out across the country for more applicants. It was the first police exam given in Buffalo since 1999.
Now, the city is waiting for a federal judge to review the exams to make sure there is a diversified pool of candidates. Mayor Byron Brown said they will get a new class together as soon as the court clears the way.
Brown said they need to get officers on the street as quickly as possible, given the loss in ranks due to retirements.
The budget calls for initially hiring at least forty officers once they have been screened and trained. Buffalo Police Commissioner McCarthy Gipson said, in the meantime, his officers are perfroming better than ever to keep the city safe.
As many as 300 applicants are expected to score high enough to qualify for possible future appointments to the department.
Click the "listen" icon above to hear Joyce Kryszak's story now or use your podcasting software to download it to your computer or iPod.