Police recruit relatives hired over Military applicants

[Truck Trooper]

Police recruit relatives hired over Marine, Army Ranger, and Officials’ relatives picked as reserves instead

METHUEN, MA — The pool of applicants hoping to become city police officers included a Marine who fought in Iraq, a former Army Ranger, and even a Merrimac cop.
But Methuen police didn't choose any of them. Instead, they selected police Chief Katherine Lavigne's niece, Capt. Randy Haggar's nephew and relatives of city councilors all of whom had lower civil service test scores, according to interviews and public records.:confused:

[Outshined]

Welcome to the real world.

[krash131]

Apparently that is a quite common practice up here in MASS. One of my good friends was the Number 1 non veteran for his town. He was supposed to get processed next. The town created a reserve list with two people who got 7's on the test because they were relatives of politicians and they got to go through with processing, and I believe are in the academy now. Than they froze hiring due to budget cuts. And than people wonder why I wont stay here after i graduate.

[campuscop2000]

The bypassed officers can go to arbitration for their jobs. My father is a senior sgt. at a neighboring PD. I wont get hired before any vet.

[KX250]

Thats Massachusetts politics for you

[2971511]

Sounds like they invoked the 1 in 3 rule. That sucks for the vets trying to get a good job. I'm sure with their resume they will land on their feet.

[krash131]

Sounds like they invoked the 1 in 3 rule. That sucks for the vets trying to get a good job. I'm sure with their resume they will land on their feet.

I think the one in three rule is what they use when they process straight down the list, agencies such Boston and MSP use it. Here two separate lists were established just for the purpose of getting a selected few looked at, because there was no other legal way to skip over other candidates.