New Watercraft Officer Cadets Coming Onboard in 2008

The Division of Watercraft has been working on hiring 27 new Watercraft Officer Cadets. The hiring process began in April of 2007 and over 1,100 people applied - a new record!

In June, physical fitness testing was completed for 192 applicants who met minimum qualifications and made it through the application screening process. The fitness testing was a week long and the weather was very hot and humid.

Ninety of the applicants progressed on to the swim test where 85 applicants passed and moved on to the formal interview. The interviews took four days to complete and included five phases. This five-phase process included elements and skills that the Division is seeking in a Watercraft Officer. The applicants were required to conclude the formal interview process with a five-minute presentation on a boating topic. They wrote an essay and then completed a memory and observation test.

Seventy-five applicants started the background phase. The background phase was an in-depth process that included a polygraph, interviews, and a comprehensive background check. Once the background phase was completed, 40 applicants were asked to complete a medical and psychological screening.

On December 4, 2007, the Division of Watercraft offered 27 applicants positions. To date, this is the largest cadet hiring that the Division has ever completed. These new Watercraft Officer Cadets are to be commended for staying motivated and sticking with the process for almost 9 months!

A new adventure for these 27 Watercraft Officer Cadets begins in late January 2008 with three days of training at the Division’s headquarters in Columbus before attending the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy, where they will complete their Basic Peace Officer Certification. The Peace Officer training will run from February 4 through June 6, 2008.

Once this training is completed the Cadets will attend the Division of Watercraft's six-week new officer training, which also will be held at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy. They graduate on July 18, 2008.

The Cadets will then begin their local training with an assigned Field Training Officer.

"We are very excited to have these individuals with us," says Watercraft Deputy Chief Mike Quinn, "They truly represent the best of the best, and we look forward to their future with the Division of Watercraft."