6,000 cop test no-shows had had fee waived

Suffolk's financial loss from waiving the $100 fee for 9,000 police test-takers was compounded by a record 6,000 no-shows. County civil service director Alan Schneider said 90 percent of the fee waivers this year went to the "unemployed" -- mostly college students, he said. In the past, waivers went to a small number, including veterans, volunteer fire and ambulance workers and relatives of 9/11 victims. Because of the no-shows -- most of whom had fee exemptions -- the county rented 10 too many schools and paid about 300 extra supervisors and monitors. "No more than 100 people who paid a fee failed to appear," Schneider said. "When people pay $100, they show up for the test."

-- Rick Brand