POUGHKEEPSIE – Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson and his department have begun an extensive recruitment drive to further diversify the department that patrols all of Dutchess County. The agency is seeking to prepare interested candidates for the September 18 Civil Service exam for deputy sheriff/police officer.
Anderson noted that the sheriff’s office Police Reform and Modernization Plan, outlined a recruitment team that has implemented strategies to seek qualified and diverse applicants to register for the deputy sheriff/police officer exam before the application period ends on August 4.
The recruitment team has developed a physical fitness exam preparation course and a civil service exam preparation course, both of which are free of charge, to help applicants prepare for both the written test and the physical agility requirements needed for those who pass the test.
“Statistically, nearly half of the law enforcement applicants fail the physical fitness portion of the civil service exam process,” said Undersheriff Kirk Imperati. “With our physical fitness exam preparation courses, we are providing applicants with fitness and nutrition training several months before an applicant’s fitness exam thereby increasing their opportunity to pass.”
Led by Deputy Adrienne Licari, who serves as a fitness instructor for the sheriff’s office, is working with colleagues to help candidates prepare for the physical fitness requirement. The nine-year veteran is working with applicants on tips to improve their performance, including nutrition. “We try to offer tips on how to avoid the fast food or college diet and eat healthier,” said Licari.
On this past Wednesday night, Licari and 16-year veteran of the force, Deputy Alonzo Montanya, held a physical fitness class with 17 participants, including four women and a 37-year-old man. The two deputies went over a series of stretches and warm-up exercises before getting to the exam qualification exercises which are sit-ups, pushups, and a 1.5-mile timed run.
Candidates are required to do a certain number of precise sit-ups in 60 seconds. The number depends on the age and sex of the candidate. Following the sit-ups, pushups are next. Although not timed, the pushups need to be done a precise way and the number is dependent on age.
The majority of applicants are men between the ages of 20 and 29. They have to do 29 pushups in a row. The two exercises were followed by a 1.5-mile timed run over the Walkway Over the Hudson.
Deputy Joe Wasilewski unveiled the new recruitment video on Wednesday. It is being published on social media to encourage people to take the test. Wasilewski produced the video “in-house” so that no taxpayer dollars were spent. The video can be viewed here.
Applicants interested in participating in one of the upcoming exam preparation courses, both written and physical agility, can pre-register by emailing their name, phone number, date, and location to DCSOTraining@dutchessny.gov. A member of the recruitment team will contact them to confirm their registration and provide them with additional information.
Upcoming classes are as follows:
Physical Fitness Exam Preparation Courses
- Wednesday, July 28, 2021: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Wednesday, August 4, 2021: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Sunday, August 8, 2021: 11:00 am-1:00 pm: Hammond Field Track, City of Beacon
- Wednesday, August 11, 2021: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Hammond Field Track, Beacon
- Wednesday, August 18, 2021: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Wednesday, August 25, 2021: 6:00 pm-7:30 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
Civil Service Exam Preparation Courses
- Friday, July 16, 2021: 6:00 pm-9:00 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Saturday, July 24, 2021: 11:00 am-2:00 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
- Saturday, August 7, 2021: 11:00 am-2:00 pm: Beekman Fire Department
- Friday, August 13, 2021: 5:00pm-8:00pm: City of Beacon Fire Department
- Saturday, August 21, 2021: 11:00 am-2:00 pm: Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office
