In 2003, I found myself sitting in a café in Chicoutimi, Quebec on a lazy afternoon, chatting with another patron. It turned out he was an RCMP officer. I wasn't working at the time, and in the course of our conversation he recommended I apply to join the RCMP. Before the day was over, I filled out my application, and I never looked back.
There were a lot of reasons why the idea of being an RCMP officer appealed to me. The RCMP is a Canadian icon, and I was excited at the idea of being a "Mountie". I won't lie, the paycheque was also a big draw – I was at a time in my life when I really wanted to be financially independent and a career with the RCMP gave me the opportunity to do that. But more than anything, it was because I knew the RCMP's core values – integrity, honesty, professionalism, compassion, respect and accountability – were my core values too. This was an employer I could believe in.
I'm almost 14 years into my career with the RCMP, and I'm now following in the footsteps of that first police officer I met in Chicoutimi, encouraging others to join the RCMP. As the person in charge of the RCMP in New Brunswick's recruitment efforts, I'm very proud to report that we send the highest number of new recruits per capita to Depot for training. In 2016, 63 New Brunswickers started their RCMP training in Regina.
Back in the old days, there were a lot of restrictions on becoming an RCMP officer – you had to be male, over 18 and under 30, unmarried, and a minimum of 5'8" tall. These days, our recruiting standards are much more reasonable – you need to have a high school diploma, a valid driver's licence and you need to be a Canadian citizen, or to have had your permanent residency for ten consecutive years. You also need to be proficient in either French or English, and you need to turn at least 19 years old before you finish at Depot.
In fact, the most impressive recruit I've ever encountered was an incredible woman who came in to write her application exam in Saint John this past May. When she entered the room, she apologized profusely for being slightly late and explained that she was not only pregnant, but in advanced labour. She insisted she was going to write her exam then and there though, and took a seat at the computer, pausing every once in a while to breathe with the contractions. At the end of the exam, she politely thanked me and left for the hospital. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl less than five hours after leaving the room. Even more impressively, she passed the exam. This mother is looking forward to the day she can start her training at Depot. It's now my favourite story to tell people who complain the application exam is too hard!
Many people out there have a mental image of an RCMP officer as a big, burly young man in red serge, and there are certainly people with the RCMP who fit that description! However, the RCMP is more diverse than ever these days, with people of all ages, all walks of life and all kinds of backgrounds. It's that level of diversity that makes us a stronger and more responsive police force. I'm especially pleased to see the number of women who are joining the ranks every day. Many people are also surprised when I tell them how many people are joining the RCMP as a second career once they've retired. What really unites the recruits I see is a passion to do what's best for themselves and their families, and their desire to make a difference in the world.
Another big draw for our new recruits is the opportunities for career advancement in the RCMP. There are so many different options for where you want your career to go. There are about 150 specialized units in the RCMP, everything from Police Dog Services to Forensic Identification, from Explosives Disposal to Marine Operations. The RCMP operates across Canada and abroad, letting you make a real difference to people here at home and around the world.
If you've ever thought about becoming an RCMP member, I strongly encourage you to look into it. You can find more information at www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca by clicking the "Careers" link. You can send an email to nbrecruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. We look forward to hearing from you.