RCMP

[Dragon]

Wow, this is a happening place latley ;D,
It's good that we all have each other to ask questions and help to encourage one another through this whole recruiting process. I have a question for all those who already went through the interview, Do they ask alot of senario questions like what would you do if your partner did this or that or what would you do if you pulled a car over and seen a gun hidden under something?? I know you can't tell what the questions are but just wondering how to prepare for senario questions. Any help would be awesome, thanks.

Tim

[ace13]

Just thought I'd add my two cents worth with regards to getting posted back to your city.

I'm from a rural area and I know that if I was policing there, the locals would drive me crazy. First of all, I'd get every Tom, Dick or Harry calling me up and telling me stuff that really doesn't mean anything. Then I'd have people who I grew up around acting differently around me. I think the people would be more pissed off to see a local policing. Now .. that's just my community.

Now granted, I do see the benefit of a native policing a native reserve. I think they have a better idea on what the locals want or need and on how to handle certain situations.

On the other hand, if I were from a place like Surrey ... where you don't know everyone etc. I would love to come back and police. It would be an asset knowing shortcuts around town or hangouts for criminals etc. There are many people in my Surrey Detachment that are from Surrey.

I guess it all comes down to personal beliefs and trial and error ... sometimes it will work to police your own community and sometimes it won't .. it just depends on the Mountie and the people!

For all those who want to come to Surrey ... it's very very very busy and definitely alot of fun! ;D

Good luck to all.

Ace13

[Cab]

I'm not so fond on applicants returing to their home town IF their home town is a smaller center (this doesn't include the Burnaby, Surrey type of detachments). The USA provides many many examples of the bias, favoritism, and just plain corruption that can occur when small towns hire "their own". The friends from high school become the business people, the mayor, the councillors. This just creates and environment for problems. I once had to do a research report on this topic in university and I was quite amazed at the problems small town america has with police, politics, and cover-ups. Canada does not have the same issues. Any that have occured have been isolated and not continuing practice. I would have to say that with the mobility and posting practices of the RCMP and OPP, this is one of the main reasons why small town Canada isn't full of bad practices.

So that is kind of my reasoning....

[mikegee]

Hello from Down "South" ( Calif/USA) .Been following the RCMP thread for a long time and it just keeps growing(Will it melt down? Will ALL THE "2BES" get hired????The tension and excitement mounts!!!!) Seems "the ol' affirmative action issue justs keeps burning ,no matter what ) sadly, as stated before on this site and the former site several years ago (thank Jay for the switch) affirmative action is, sadly the "evil that evil created". Does it stop some non-minorities/ majority citizens from getting hired,quite possibly "yes".Does it help visible minorities/peoples of divergent backgrounds who meet the "minimum requirements " to get hired -most likely , "yes" .It all goes back to the stereotype of "six foot -two , Blond and Blue".Think of how many White male officers got turned down because they couldn't meet "that set of requirements". Also the issue of racial discrimination is still present in some peoples hearts/minds and the bitterness of the 50s,60s,70s is still being manifested on the streets of North American cities (yep, ya'got problems too Canada!!!).Police work is STILL considered an option in career choices for White males and is shunned by many minorities due to their own communities stereotypes/biases of police work (racism goes both ways ).From my own experience they( the public ) are going to yell at you , regardless of what color you are ( the race "card" is a last ditch option, ala "why are stopping only black men /" or "its cause I'm white,huh?"). 14 yrs ago,I went through LAPD Academy as a 21yr old College drop out with a 92% avg score( cop work seemed more exciting than B.S. in sociology) and was "surprised " that out of 65 recruits for my class 10 had masters degrees,15 bachelors,22 associates degrees,6 were commissioned officers in the U.S. Army,Navy,Air Force, 25 were high ranking non- commissioned service personnel (Sgts in the military) and the rest college educated at the level of 2 yrs or better.And of the break down 25 were White male (or 40% of the population) with a break down of 20 hispanic ,10 blacks, 8 females (blk,White,Hisp),2 asians-roughly the make up of the citys populace at the time.Many of those people, including the other blacks and females out scored me on the entrance exams and I was luck enough to maintain a 90% avg throughout the academy(which put me in the middle or top 40 of the class!!!) from my example I am trying to point out that I doubt your Nat'L gov't is pinning "mountie badges" on any low raters ,minority or otherwise. I believe as one other writer posted, that if more minority types were to apply the acceptance curve in scores would go up dramatically and if there weren't enough white male applicants the scores would be reduced to try to get diversity .Even here in L.A. if your score isn't 90% or above(minority or not) you probably won't go on to complete the hiring process.and from 14 yrs of experience on patrol and as an FTO ,lower achieving recruits(minority or not) get washed out . In a perfect world you wouldn't need quotas , but in that perfect world a police officer would never be caught using the "n" word or bullying gays, or punking the "white boys" while on patrol . To all of you up north that are posting here, keep doing your best, 'cause your all qualified and will make it. The only person that can knock you out of a "Depot" spot is not that "girl" or that black guy or that tall White dude" , but the person you SEE every day in the mirror -YES YOU.......

[Longshot]

Jas said:

Jag, Cab and Rebel you are all from BC?

Is any one else here in the process from BC?

and if so what stage are you all at?

Jas

I'm in Victoria. White, male, mid-20s.
RPAT in December 2002.
Results in January 2003: 4.3x (leaving last digit out so I can't be ID'ed, I'm going to be frank in my posts which might make me look bad to some)
Received package in May.
PARE and package sent off in June.

I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be selected this round. I was kicked out of university for poor performance a few years ago and I'm just beginning the process to get back in which means I could go back in fall 2004. I took the RPAT on a bit of a lark and only continued the process because I did so surprisingly well. I'm not even sure I'm cut out to be a cop because drunk people and trailer dwellers annoy me, but my current job entails dealing with a lot of angry people and my co-workers and supervisors say I handle them very well. I also didn't put any preparation into the PARE and was surprised that I got a sub 4:00 time.

I know this makes me look like a bad attitude slacker, but that's not the case, I've just inherited some pre-formed cynicism from my father who was a career member and spent the whole time on general duty. I've seen the best and the worst the RCMP has to offer... at the various small detachments my dad worked at there were members who were: a child-molester, a sexual assaulter, many drunks, a heroin addict, a massive fraud artist, a suicide, and several bullies who got off on abusing the public trust. There were also brilliant investigators, many degree and advanced degree holders who could've made tons more money in the private sector, totally involved community volunteers, and hard-working and effective cops.

[macguy9]

Well, with the Vancouver 2010 announcement this morning, I'm guessing they'll be temporarily reassigning a lot of mounties to Vancouver/Whistler for the duration of the games! Who knows... I could be getting my picture shot in a red serge with tourists in 2010!! ;D

[RCMPWife]

Hiya! I've never posted here before but I do pop in to read every once in a while. It's kind of like being a fly on the wall in the boys changeroom... er.. nevermind. As for being posted back to your community, in a small center I agree it could be more of a negative than a positive and they areTEXT picky about it. My hubby wanted to be posted back to the community we were currently living in and we'd only been there TEXT TEXT they wouldn't even consider it because we would have formed "relations " with too many people. Now Surrey, is a much larger area than the town we wanted to be posted back to.. but still, they may view it the same way. Don't you want to go travel Canada and get posted in Nunavit? ;D
Take it easy !
Bernice

[YC]

just a quick survey, how many of you guys/gals have worked over 5 years with the same employer?(to demonstrate stability from the recruiter point of view)

i quit a job after a month last year, wonder if that would effect my overall accountability?

[Jag]

Mikegee,

Bravo! Well, said!

I agree, we can often become our worst enemies. Especially when we start making excuses.

Your success or failures should not be a creature of your environment. Rather it should be the fruit of your commitment and perseverance.

Yes, some may say it is easier said than done!

Jag

[Hert5]

Longshot,
You seem to not have a burning desire to join the RCMP. If you don't like dealing with alcoholics, I don't think policing would suit you. As for the cynical attitude, my father is also in the RCMP (30+ years) and he has also worked in small detachments as well as larger ones. He would fall under the heading of happy, well respected, and still keen for the job. It would appear that your father is unhappy with the work and is one of those types that should have retired years ago as to let more egar and happier cops fill his boots. You will find bad people in every walks of life, yes even cops can cross the line. The onus is on co-workers (fellow cops) to see these problems (alcoholism, abusive powers, abusive husbands) and act on them. Not turn a blind eye, as to not want to "stir the pot". The RCMP members that I know through my father, as well as my father, have been able to respect the fact that turning a blind eye doesn't help anyone.

I am of the believe that if a person in any type of employment is cynical, unhappy, or whatever, they are not a good source to get an opinion of the job from. Sure, you can find what they don't like about the job, and see how your personality would fit. Keeping in mind that negative job attitudes are more often then not a result of the person giving them then the job itself.

By the way, what is wrong with people that live in trailers? Stereotyping has no place in policing. Can you please reconsider your application to the RCMP, or at least look beyond your fathers attitude and cynicism to see the positives of the career.

H.
Another island guy.

[Jag]

YC,

I don't think they are going to hold that against you.

They would be more concerned if there was a pattern of such behaviour.

Any other thoughts, from the senior members.

Jag

[YC]

hoping to get some advice on POPAT(quite similar to RCMP Physical Test)i saw YWCA in Vancouver is offering a course to train WOMEN only.but cost around $200 while VPD(Vancouver Police) offer something around $150 but only after you are an applicant.

just wondering is it worthy to paid someone else to train you?or should i join the training offer by VPD?thanks.

[YC]

Thanks Jag.

I am just been too cautious about every mistake that I might have make in the past year or so.I would say if I know I wanted to join the forces so much, I should have plan my stuff better.

Besides,I smoke a joint last year,I think half of it I guess.It's my very first time,I never do it before,just curious because back in my country,posses of marijuana is death penalty(YES guys,don't make that look,it's.You caught,you prepare yourself in the death roll)It was stupid to try that out but it gave me a taste of it.People here don't believe that it was my first time though.

Enough of it~Good luck to everybody and YES,Vancouver got the 2010 bid.I wish I am one of the officer serving during that time. ;D

[guest]

Hi There:

Has anyone who is in the final medical portion had any problems or experience with the hearing exam? I am in my 20's and have been told I have a mild loss (outside and above the normal voice range). Could anyone who has discussed the audiogram with the RCMP MD or audiologist please comment? Thanks

[rebel2232]

Hey YC and Jag,

In regards to the duration of employment, I can't see the RCMP faulting you if you moved from job to job for the right reason. For me in the last 10 years I've worked for 5 employers, however every time that I left a job for another it was beneficial to me… more money (of course) and more responsibility. Sometimes changing employers is the only way that one is going to be able to move up the corporate ladder. I’m sure that the RCMP will want to know the reasons why you left a job for another. ;D

Rebel