Minorities Apply in Record Numbers to Take Chicago Police Exam

The Chicago Police Department announced that historic numbers of minority candidates signed up to take the Chicago police exam. The application period for the current recruitment cycle officially ended on Sunday.

Police said during the final week of recruitment more than 1,500 applicants -- about 200 per day -- signed up to take signed up to take the test to become a Chicago police officer. The total numbers of applicants are expected to be released in the coming days.

Various departments -- including SWAT, K9, marine, aviation and equine -- visited churches, schools and community events across the city to promote the recruitment campaign and highlight the advantages of joining the police department.

A special focus was placed on attracting higher numbers of minority applicants to improve diversity and ensure the Chicago Police Department is representative of the neighborhoods served by police.

The high percentage of minority applications also represents a growing trend compared to previous recruitment campaigns.

The written exam will be administered in April at a date and venue to be announced. Applicants who pass the written exam may have to wait a may have to wait a few years before being hired. CPD is said to be calling up applicants who took the 2013 exam.