Week 2: The new normal

Skills units – First impressions

During the second week, cadets start hands-on sessions in police skills.

Police defensive tactics

The first thing cadets learn is the Incident Management Intervention Model. It is what RCMP officers use to assess and manage risk in all encounters with the public. It helps to determine what intervention to use, such as verbal de-escalation or the use of another method.

In this week, cadets learn basic officer safety and how to keep a safe distance.

Firearms

Cadets learn the basics of shooting, and most importantly firearms safety.

Cadets receive their service pistol, the firearm they will carry throughout their career. For many, it is their first interaction with firearms.

What surprised me was how many little parts are needed to make a gun. Not only that, the requirement that's needed to keep them clean. The guns are also quite heavy which is something that I need to work on.

Police driving

Cadets start to switch from civilian driving to police driving. An important part of this training is defensive driving tactics. They must also unlearn the bad habits they picked up as civilian drivers.

Cadets also learn how to use police radios. This includes memorizing 10-codes and the phonetic alphabet.

Fitness

The Operational Conditioning Unit helps cadets develop a skill set that is beneficial for career readiness and provides the potential for lifelong fitness. This week, cadets start endurance training with weights.

While at Depot, cadets must complete at least 5 fitness workouts each week. This includes a mix of cardio and resistance training.