RCMP

[Hopeful]

Hmmm...thourough...suspect I meant thorough.

[sporto]

They talked to every one of my references, neighbors, and places of employment for the last ten years. Needless to say I was shocked at the thoroughness of the investigators. I even moved and had only been at my new place for about 6 months and they interviewed my new neighbors and questioned my grilfriend as to why I had moved. On a great note, I just got a call this morning from the psycologoist and she said my results were in and I passed. I was a little edgy as this was the last stage of my application. Everything is finally done (19 months after writing the RPAT) so I await the big phone call to go to depot. I can speculate and say I should probably be going sometime in September/October.

[ace13]

That's great news Sporto. You must be getting excited now. I hope to have my interview soon and get that over with. Once I get the interview date, then I'll be getting nervous for sure! But hopefully, all will go well. It's been so long now since I ran the PARE, my initial excitement has been reduced.

It's getting closer for the rest of you now too! I heard that sometimes you don't get much notice to go to depot. If someone cancels, or another slot comes open, they could call you up on a wednesday or thursday and ask if you want to go on Saturday. Make sure you're all prepared!

It's been 5 months now since I wrote the RPAT, so I still have a long time yet before I get that call. I have to pass everything yet!!!! But I'm keeping a positive attitude.

Ace13

[stillwaiting]

9 months since my background checks were started and final checks are being completed and today they say that they forgot to do one residence check in another province so they are sending it back. 2 or 3 weeks extra they say. Whenever I hear 2 or 3 weeks I think 2 or 3 months. Time will tell. Still trying to stay all positive about all this but trying to get your ducks in a row for the family and winding down another career when they tell you that you may be called on only 3 days notice is getting a little trying. However, if we want it bad enough, we'll put up with it. My vent for the day. Hope everyone is doing well and now that I know it won't be for the next few weeks anyways I can take a vacation!!

[marcusinmb]

Hello everyone--newly registered but have been monitoring this post for a long time--forever it seems because like many of you, I've been in the process for a long time (RPAT Apr 01) and am getting a little impatient. It has been slow and frustrating to say the least.

I feel for you STILLWAITING. I have a job that cannot be left overnight unfortunately and will need a fair amount of lead time to sort things out before going to Depot. I've completed everything with the Background investigator telling me 3 wks ago that he was done and the next call from recruiting would likely be the thumbs up call. I kind of expected it to occur already though.

My first post will unfortunately be a rant. I really cannot believe that the RCMP selection process is so drawn out and lengthy. In my opinion, it is not the best way to do business. It seems that other LE agencies have streamlined the recruiting process much better. With so many agencies in need of good, qualified recruits right now--this naturally leads to competition. If an applicant has his/her heart set on this line of work and just wants to get on with it, he/she will probably get snapped up by some municipal/prov force long before the RCMP get around to sending him/her off for training. 18-24 months is far too long.

Unless you are like myself and others obviously who desire the RCMP only (I have my personal reasons). We are stuck in the long waiting game when in reality if we were interested in Edm/Calg/etc we likely would be accepted already assuming we have the goods they're looking for. I just think that the RCMP must be missing the boat with a lot of good applicants who get tired of waiting and take the offers from elsewhere. Think of the wasted time/effort/money the Mounties might be enduring.

Nothing anyone on this board can do about it, just wondering if this makes sense to anyone else out there. Have a good weekend, and we all continue to wait. Cheers.

P.S. My interview was 8 months ago, Med/dent/psych at least 5 months ago.

[DDR]

marcusinmb - you are totally on the money. Having been in the RCMP process for a total of 20 months I have begun to question what's going on.

I too have personal reasons for applying only to the RCMP. I've also watched a number of friends get accepted to municipal forces within months of their initial .

In my experience the RCMP process is very long and inconvenient. I found the lack of information provided by recruiting to be especially frustrating. The last time the RCMP initiated communication with me was July 2001! (I'm still in the process and when I called recruiting I was told unofficially that I would be going in February/March)

When I think about the type of recuits most police agencies are looking for: (ie. older, life experience, education, maturity) the RCMP process seems designed to discourgage exactly those type of people.

With long drawn out timelines the application process becomes very stressfull on relationships, makes pre-RCMP career planning difficult, and forces one to basically put their life on hold.

The lack of information exacerbates the above problems.

The fact that the RCMP do not pay a salary during training makes it very difficult for applicants with financial responsibilities and obligations. I cannot imagine what it would be like to go for 6 months without a paycheque if I was supporting a family.

All this makes me wonder about the overall quality of applicants who stick it out through the RCMP process. Most cops2be that I know have applied to more than one force so is the RCMP only getting the leftovers? For all those out there who've stuck it out through the RCMP process what are your reasons?

Here are mine:
1. Eventually want to do investigative work against organized/international criminal groups.
2. Want to see different parts of the country - especially the far north.
3. Want to work for an internationally known and respected agency.
4. Opportunity for promotion easier within a large organization.
5. Small communities (in my opinion) present more opportunities for 'community based policing/problem solving', and lack of immediate backup challenges a member's dispute resolution skills.
6. I enjoy my current job, I've got time on my hands to wait, and I don't have any obligations or dependants.

[ace13]

I completely understand what you guys are all going through. Although it's only been 5 months for me since I wrote the RPAT, I still feel the frustration of the waiting times for each stage. Although, I figure that perhaps the RCMP want applicants who are dedicated only to the RCMP. And as well, perhaps the stress of the recruiting process may indirectly prepare you for the stress of the law enforcement career. If an applicant can stick it out through this recruitment process, the RCMP know that they have a dedicated person who can handle stress before they even get to depot. Just some thoughts on the topic guys.

I guess as well, it depends on when you apply, because I know people that have gone through this process in less than a year, while others it has taken longer. Politics!

Ace13

[stillwaiting]

I guess one of the things I find to be a little hypocritical (sp?) is that in depth background checks are completed to ensure that you have lived your life to date showing certain character traits (responsibility, reliability, values etc) but the expectation seems to be that when they finally complete everything you need to drop everything and go NOW, not allowing in many cases the opportunity to be responsible and reliable with your existing committments ie. proper notice for work. Seems to be a double standard. The length of time the process takes would be a little more bearable if things were actually happening all that time and you could get some straight answers from recruiting. That has not been my experience. However, I like others am only applying to the RCMP for mainly the reasons listed. Hope to end up in a smaller city or town, opportunity to go to different locations in my career etc. It'll come eventually. Wrote RPAT Jan 2001. Take care everybody.

[Storm]

I can really relate to the waiting. I have been in the process now going on 24 months. I do however think the RCMP has a motive, they only want people who really want to be Mounties, not just police officers. Joining the RCMP is joining one of the most recognized agencies in the world.
I have been on a roller coaster ride (anyone who read past posts from me, my tale of woe is there), now I remain grounded and don't get to excited.
I am waiting for the end of my background and training for that final PARE.
The only thing that strikes e is, that everyone I know who waited an waited and waited, finally gotten in, tells me it was worth the wait to finally wear that famous red serge and call yourself a Mountie.
We need to hang in, hang tough and stay focused. I find coming here helps, it lets me know there are people in the same boat as me, with the same feelings of frustration and dream of being an RCMP constable. It helps to come here and vent when you need to and draw strength from the fact you are among a group who are preparing to join one of the elite.
Who knows, one day some of us might end up in Depot together, maybe the same troop.

Hang tough all,
Storm

[Drakor]

;D Kind of off the beaten path but kind of related to you guys waiting.
I'm a real martial arts person and I've read your woes of getting on with the RCMP and it reminds me of what the tradional Samuri Warriors went through back hundreds of years during the Ming Dynasty.
It took several years for Samuri to become the best and believe or not the Masters would only take the best,honorable speaking. For those whom traveled and sought out a Master would first have to prove trust worthy.
After they became the best the master would send them out to other schools and other towns. These Samuri whether bad or good natured would normaly be the sheriff of the towns they encountered. They would sit in judgement and they ruled with their swords.
As a martial artist it has taken me several years to become better then the normal smo on the street. Even as a black belt I still feel like I'm just beginning.
My point is if it were easy then everyone in the world would do it. Waiting to live your dream....how long is too long to live it. Once you guys get it then it will be worth that much more to you. If you need quick employment then any fast food joint will hire you on the spot. The RCMP is the best of the best then they hire you after 2 years of waiting then someone in depot tells you it took them 2 months it loses its meaning of worth to you.

[Storm]

Drakor, I like your analogy. It is true, if you just want to be a cop then you have your pick. Calgary, Edmonton, Peel Regional are all accepting applications. I tried that route, Toronto Metro and OPP. But, after I applied to the RCMP and started actually making progress, succeeding to get ahead, I wanted to be an RCMP constable more than just a cop. I look at making it into the ranks of being an RCMP constable as joining a tradition, you are one of the best in Canada. I really believe that is why they take so long, only the ones who show true interest, who keep coming back, who don't quit make it. That red serge is known around the world, it is what separates the Mounties from everyone else. So, like the Samuri in Drakor's analogy we who make it to Depot, through Depot and into that red serge have proved our Trustworthiness, our Honor and our Determination.

Storm

[ace13]

My recruiter is back from holidays tomorrow so hopefully, I'll hear sometime this week about when I'll have my interview. I prepared so hard after I finished the PARE in June, I really don't know what else to do. I've read the Interview guide on their website several times and I've read "Interviews for Dummies", I've reviewed my work history and thought about examples for different situations, but I don't know what else to do. I hear the interview is the thoughest part . . .so who knows!!!. Anyway, you all know now that I will post as soon as I get word.

How did you guys cure your interview anxiety??

[marcusinmb]

ACE13--I'm confident with the preps and research you say you've done, you'll score well on the interview. Good luck and stop worrying.

Good posts and opinions lately. While I truly believe Depot will be worth the wait and frustrations, I'm sticking to my view that the process could be streamlined better to accept solid, dedicated candidates in less time as other agencies have proven.

If the training at Depot is as good as most say (and I believe it is) even someone who has gone thru only a 6-12 month selection process should be standing on the grad parade square in the red serge feeling that he/she will dedicate their career to serving the RCMP with professionalism, pride, and competence. It shouldn't take someone 18-24 months (and complete dedication to only the RCMP selection process) to make it to that endstate.

My biggest gripe is the same as some other recent posts. The many stages involved are filled inbetween with months and months of apparent stagnant actions and a lack of communication. It shouldn't take the national police force 6-8 months to do a Background check on someone who is squeaky clean to begin with. It shouldn't take a Div HQ Health Services Physician 6 months to medically OK an applicant when the civy doctor spends an hour doing the relevant tests and two weeks to wait for bloodwork results to come back and fwd them to the RCMP Div HQ should it????

Keeping in mind that 50% fail the RPAT, and many others fail the PARE. The numbers of quality applicants in the process are not likely as large as we think they are.

Like many of you still waiting in the 12-24 month time frame, I feel I'm a pretty solid applicant. University degree, scored well at all the stages (4.2 RPAT, sub 3:30 PARE, had a good interview and didn't appear overtly insane during Psych tests, etc). Very responsible and proven work history in management and leadership positions.

It shouldn't take so long to tell me, "OK-you're good enough to go to Depot as a Cadet and not get paid for 22 weeks." Remember--you're not a Mountie until you grad. Comments?

[stillwaiting]

marcusinmb...I could not agree with you more. I am completely in support of all the steps and the thoroughness but like you it appears there is just too much "down" time when nothing is being done. I like others agree that perhaps the time frame is meant to test your committment but I question how that is measured. I believe there are a lot of excellent applicants that lack the financial luxury of putting their lives on hold for this amount of time. Particularly when the lack of pay for 22 weeks already weeds out a significant number of people unable to make that sacrifice.

Not really willing to debate the lack of pay during training as most careers don't pay you to train but then again most careers don't require to wait and wait and wait for answers while telling you it might be tomorrow so don't make any plans, and then when they do give an answer it needs to be acted upon immediately.

Don't get me wrong, not down on the force or I wouldn't be doing this, just think it could be better. Currently work in a big bureaucracy and the RCMP will be another one and with that comes these frustrations.

While this thread seems to have gotten a little down on the process lately, I for one certainly appreciate seeing that others are dealing with the same frustrations that I am.

Hope everyone had a good weekend.

[stillwaiting]

Ace13....I never did cure my interview anxiety but when I was walking out I realized there was nothing more I could have done to prepare..and what I had done is exactly what you are doing. You'll do fine.