305 apply for possible openings at Hastings Police Department

When the application deadline closed for possible openings in the Hastings Police Department, a total of 305 people had applied. Of those, 303 were deemed to be eligible, Chief of Police Paul Schnell said.

The eligible candidates will begin the testing process next week. The first phase of testing includes a general knowledge test, a report-writing test and a training and experience evaluation.

Rankings will be established from those 303 based on their tests, and the top 50 will be invited to participate in panel interviews in early January.

The top-rated candidates would then interview with Schnell and take a pass/fail physical fitness test.

The top candidates after that round would then be subjected to a background investigation.

“The goal at the end of the day is to establish a list so that when the city council ultimately certifies an opening here, we can initiate the hiring process with the goal of hiring the best of the best,” Schnell said. “That’s why we’re going through all this effort to test and screen people.”

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