Recruitment video: transcript

Anchor: LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO ARE CALLED UPON TO DO EXTRAORDINARY THINGS. AND SO IT IS WITH THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE – AN ORGANIZATION WHOSE VERY FOUNDATION RESTS SQUARELY ON THE PRIDE, TRADITION AND DISCIPLINE THAT ARE ITS LEGEND. AND TROOPERS ARE THE LIVING EMBODIMENT, IN COURAGE AND IN COMPASSION, OF THIS LEGEND.

B roll of press conference footage: RIGHT NOW, THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GOVERNOR CARCIERI AND COLONEL DOHERTY, ARE FORMALLY REACHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS AND ENCOURAGING SERIOUS MEN AND WOMEN TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP AND APPLY TO BECOME RHODE ISLAND STATE TROOPERS.

Anchor: THE GOAL IS TO PRUDENTLY PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AND CONTINUE TO REPRESENT ALL OF RHODE ISLAND WITH HONOR AND DIGNITY.

TO BE CLEAR, WHILE THIS PROCESS EMBRACES OUR ETHNIC AND CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE WILL NOT REDUCE OR MINIMIZE THE RIGOROUS STANDARDS IN ORDER TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE ORGANIZATION.

Anchor: THE RI STATE POLICE TESTING CRITERIA AND MATERIALS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED TO ENSURE THAT EACH PHASE OF THE PROCESS IF FAIR. IN ADDITION, THE STATE POLICE HAS OPENED THE PROCESS TO QUALIFIED EXPERTS FOR THEIR IMPARTIAL EVALUATION AND CRITIQUE.

THIS HAS BEEN AN EXHAUSTIVE PROCESS, AND A PROCESS WELCOMED BY ALL – AS IT REINFORCES THE NEED AND RESPECT FOR FAIRNESS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CORNERSTONE OF THE ORGANIZATION.

Anchor: ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE?

Anchor: ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP IN BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE? IF YOU ARE, THERE ARE SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS YOU MUST COMPLY WITH.

Graphic screens of qualifications:

YOU MUST BE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-44, YOU MUST BE A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HAVE A G.E.D.,

• YOU MUST HAVE A VALID MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSE,
• YOU MUST BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES,
• YOUR WEIGHT MUST BE IN PROPORTION TO YOUR HEIGHT,
• YOU MUST HAVE VISUAL ACUITY OF 20/40 OR BETTER WITHOUT CORRECTION, OR 20/20 OR BETTER WITH CORRECTIVE LENSES – AND YOU MUST HAVE NORMAL COLOR AND DEPTH PERCEPTION,
• YOU MUST HAVE NORMAL HEARING ABILITY.
• UPON APPOINTMENT, RHODE ISLAND RESIDENCY IS REQUIRED.

HAVING MET THESE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, THE APPLICANT MUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AND PASS: A WRITTEN EXAMINATION, A DEMANDING PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST, MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS, AN ORAL INTERVIEW BOARD, AND AN EXTENSIVE AND EXTREMELY THOROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION.

AND FINALLY, HAVING REACHED THIS POINT AND PERHAPS BEING CHOSEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TRAINING ACADEMY, THE TRUE TEST OF CHARACTER, PERSEVERANCE, MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ENDURANCE BEGINS.

Anchor: THE ACADEMY INCLUDES: 24 WEEKS OF INTENSIVE AND RIGOROUS PHYSICAL TRAINING AND CONDITIONING, FIREARMS INSTRUCTION, DEFENSIVE TACTICS, FIRST AID INSTRUCTION, RESCUE AND WATER SAFETY, PURSUIT AND DEFENSIVE DRIVING, MOTOR VEHICLE CODE, ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, CRIMINAL LAW, PROGRESSIVE RUNNING PROGRAM, PARAMILITARY TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE.

Anchor: TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE ACADEMY IS IN MANY RESPECTS LIKE SUCCEEDING AT THE HARDEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE, AND SHARING THAT EXPERIENCE WITH A VERY SMALL FAMILY OF OTHERS WHO KNOW WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY AND SINGULAR ACCOMPLISHMENT IT WAS.

Anchor: THE RHODE ISLAND STATE POLICE WILL GRADUATE NEW TROOPERS WHEN THE NEXT SESSION OF THE STATE POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY CONCLUDES. THE BEST, BRIGHTEST AND MOST QUALIFIED PEOPLE IMAGINABLE. MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL RACES, COLORS AND CREEDS WHO BELIEVE DEVOTION TO DUTY IN SERVICE TO THE STATE IS THEIR INEVITABLE DESTINY.