Barnstable Police Begin Recruiting After Civil Service Departure

BARNSTABLE, MA — The Barnstable Police Department is hiring, but the process will be different than in years past.

That's because the department is no longer part of the Massachusetts Civil Service system, a move that was confirmed at a June 5 Barnstable Town Council meeting.

In a news release, department officials said the "landmark decision represents a significant shift in our department’s hiring and promotional processes, aligning us with modern practices in law enforcement recruitment and promotion."

The Civil Service’s Human Resource Division was notified of this decision on July 9.

It's a major change for the department, which has operated as part of Civil Service since 1937. But, in recent years, the process became outdated in the eyes of decision makers locally and across the Cape, as Barnstable was one of the few departments on Cape Cod to remain in the system.

"For many decades, this system served the town effectively, providing a standardized approach to hiring and promotion," Chief Jean Challies said. "However, in recent years, evolving challenges—including a shrinking pool of applicants, fiscal constraints, and procedural limitations—have made it increasingly difficult to recruit and promote officers in an efficient, equitable, and timely manner."

Officials hope the transition away from Civil Service will allow the department to attract and onboard candidates quickly. That confidence comes after the department collaborated with local officials to update department policies and contractual agreements.

Which brings us to now, when the department has launched an "aggressive recruitment campaign to fill more than a dozen current vacancies."

Officials believe the process, which in the past could have taken up to two years to get from beginning to end, will see officers brought into the department sooner.