HINGHAM — Nov. 3, 2026 — Hingham’s Select Board last Tuesday extended conditional offers of employment to three police recruits, the first new recruits the department has chosen since the town left the civil service system. The offers depend on medical, physical and psychological screening, and the recruits would start the police academy Dec. 7.
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Police recruits. Police Chief David Jones said the department ran its own exam, which more than 80 people signed up for, followed by a physical abilities test, background investigations and panel interviews, and that the panel unanimously chose the three candidates. The three would fill the department’s three open positions.
The board interviewed each candidate in public: Christian Colvard, who left a career in accounting and auditing; Owen Morgan; and Colby Trent. Two came from teaching backgrounds. Members asked about community policing, communication, handling stress, mental health crises and how they would respond to an order that might violate department policy. Board member Julie Strehle asked each candidate to rate their communication skills and said afterward that all three bring valuable life experience, including teaching backgrounds that help in working with the community.
Police officials recommended conditional offers for all three, crediting the new process with drawing candidates with more varied backgrounds. The board voted unanimously to extend the offers. Each offer is contingent on passing the required medical exam, physical abilities test if applicable, and psychological screening, and on an agreement to repay equipment and field-training salary costs if the officer leaves the department within five years.
The recruits would start the MBTA Transit Police Academy on Dec. 7, finish around the end of May or early June, then complete three months of field training before working on their own, likely in August or September.
