Introduction

Commanding Officer's message

Have you ever wondered what it's like to train as a police officer with the RCMP? The Cadet Chronicles documents the Cadet Training Program at the RCMP Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Follow the 26-week journey to become a Mountie through the lens of a cadet. You will get a glimpse into present-day training through social media posts and a wrap up each week on our website.

The Cadet Chronicles aligns with current training. It includes input from cadets, all units at Depot and divisions across the country. You will learn more about who we are, what we do and how we work together to bring out the best qualities in our cadets.

We are excited to share our traditions, our history and what we have learned over the past 150 years. It is what allows us to provide our cadets with modern, world-class training that instills pride and champions diversity.

We hope you see a bit of yourself here at the RCMP Academy.

On behalf of Depot, I offer a virtual welcome!

Depot life

Arriving to Depot is overwhelming and exciting at the same time. It’s full of new surroundings, new experiences and many new faces. Cadets meet their instructors and, of course, their troopmates.

One of the most notable experiences at Depot is being part of a troop. Each troop has up to 32 cadets and is diverse in composition. Cadets come to Depot from across Canada after completing the application process.

While at Depot, the troop becomes a cohesive team. They share a common experience few can understand.

We expect troops to act as one: taking meals together, moving around base as a unit and dressing in uniform. It’s all about teamwork and communication.

RCMP badge and motto

The story of our badge and motto is one of legend and mystery. A fire in the West Block of the Parliament Buildings in 1897 destroyed many records.

This leaves us with no official record of how or when our badge and motto came to be. The first official description of the badge with our motto appeared in the dress regulations for officers. It was published in Order-in-Council 1890-0192, dated January 24, 1890.

The current badge includes 6 components:

• a bison head
• our motto: Maintiens le Droit
• a wreath of maple leaves
• a scroll with the title of the Force
• a scroll that says “Canada”
• a crown that represents Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

There have been different designs of our badge throughout our history, mainly with variations of these elements.

Our motto, Maintiens le Droit, translates from French to “maintain the right” or “uphold the right”.

The badge is part of many uniform pieces worn by cadets and members in the field. You will also see the badge showcased in many buildings at the Academy. Four historical variations of the badge are featured at the Depot pool.

Background

The 19,000 police officers in the RCMP all have one thing in common: they all passed through the gates of Depot.

During the 26-week Cadet Training Program, cadets must be focussed and engaged in learning exercises beyond a typical 40-hour work week. Cadets gain the skills needed to build relationships with the diverse communities we serve across Canada.

The program continuously evolves to reflect the current needs of frontline policing.

Training takes place in a variety of disciplines incorporated throughout the program. Scenarios, case studies, lectures, panel discussions, presentations and community interactions all help prepare cadets for the day-to-day policing duties in the field.

After training, the graduates work with an experienced police officers as part of the 6-month Field Coaching Program.