RCMP recruiting
Encyclopedia
RCMP rectruitment is based on a variety of factors including: citizenship, education, and physical attributes. Historically, other factors such as age and gender were also considered. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police
's recruitment
process includes information sessions for potential applicants, as well as aptitude tests, physical tests, medical examinations and background checks.
is not a hiring factor with the RCMP starting in the early 1980s to hire older individuals. Members starting their careers in their 30s are now commonplace; those in their 40s are numerous while those doing so in their 50s are rare exceptions.
Prior to the early 1980s, the RCMP recruited new members aged from 19 to about 25. The practice was relatively customary of those days, and based on three precise beliefs from the RCMP. First, policing could not be the second career of an individual. Second, young men were more moldable than older individuals to the police subculture
. Third, criminal activity
was linked to adulthood; by hiring young adults, the RCMP secured more chances that those individuals would have a crime free background.
citizens were able to join the ranks.
Canadian diploma in order to meet the basic hiring qualifications, although many cadets are now community college
graduates or have degrees from Canadian universities
. In certain cases, some are even master's degree
holders.
In the past century
, the level of education
continued to increase in Canadian society. Educational increment along with the complexity of the RCMP officer's daily tasks and duties rendered formal education more important in the eyes of the force. The population
as a whole is now more educated, and so are citizens who join the RCMP. In the past, the requirement had been a 7th-grade or 10th-grade completion.
exercise task rather than specific absolute body measurements. The requirements simulate the physical demands placed on the body of actual RCMP officers facing an immediate physical confrontation
.
Before the 1970s, the RCMP hired only men of a certain height and weight. Often, a "good" candidate weighed over 200 lbs pounds and stood at or above 6 feet (182.9 cm).
is not a factor in hiring, but in the past, new members had to be single at recruitment, and keep that civil status for the first five years of service.
for training
. In the past, many police forces had employed women, especially for civilian duties. This time however, it was different. The RCMP hired women to carry exactly the same duties as their male counterparts. It has been a major change in the RCMP and the police
overall.
tests, physical tests, medical examinations and background checks.
The second test of the RPAB is the SFPQ, which measures an applicant's conscientiousness, a concept not measured by the RPAT. This measure of conscientiousness is being introduced due to its close relationship with concepts such as honesty, integrity and commitment. Conscientiousness is defined as behaviour governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience; principled. The SFPQ has 108 questions and takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Each question is written as a statement about which a person is asked to what extent they agree or disagree.
The RPAB aggregate score is composed of roughly 60% RPAT and 40% SFPQ scores. Applicants will receive written feedback on their performance for both tests including a score for each of the seven components of the RPAT.
The aggregate score is not currently being used starting in Sept 2005 for selection in the RCMP selection process. If an applicant receives the minimum score of 3.2 out of 5.0 they will be put on the Initial Ranking List. No other factors are used to determine eligibility in this stage of the RCMP selections process other than the minimum RPAT score. For the testing period April 2004 to March 2005, the mean
English RPAT score was 3.480, with a standard deviation of 0.532. This means that roughly two-thirds of the applicants who wrote the RPAT scored higher than the required minimum score.
If one fails the RPAB or is required to re-write it, he or she must wait a minimum of 365 days from the date the applicant last wrote.
s, passport
photos. Applicants are usually given about three weeks to return the package to their recruiting office.
The PARE test is currently free of charge for active applicants to the RCMP, provided the applicant completes the PARE successfully. Upon passing, a PARE certificate will be issued and is valid for six months. If the certificate expires during the recruiting process, the applicant will be required to be re-tested at the expense of the RCMP. Should candidates fail to maintain PARE certification, enrolment/engagement will be refused.
The interviews are done by one to two officers, and usually last around 4 hours. During the interviews, applicants are pressed to recall and describe specific examples that demonstrate they have the skills required to become a member of the RCMP. Following the interview, applicants are warned to never discuss the contents of the interview questions to anyone, including other RCMP officers.
test. This tool is used to determine the suitability of the candidate being considered for employment by the RCMP. The pre-employment polygraph was instated in 2005.
including: Chest X-rays, ECG, Urinalysis
, blood tests, hearing test
, dental exam, optical exam, and a full medical/physical with an RCMP physician. Applicants may be deferred/rejected at this point for an illness or condition that may prevent the applicant from performing the regular duties during training at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division.
In prior years leading to the early 1980s, some RCMP recruits were signing special contracts where the force had to post them in specific regions where they could spend their complete careers.
of members of specific races, ethnicities, and gender
s. At that time, the force make-up was almost totally composed of white males. The new hiring initiative, coupled with low overall hiring due to the small number of retirements and the weak Canadian economy
, rendered the possibility of white males joining the force rather small. The minority hiring initiative
along with a court
decision that allowed an RCMP officer to wear a turban
while working generated a great deal of controversy
. The RCMP never managed to hire as many women as men. (One key reason being that only 20 per cent of applicants are women). As for races and ethnicities, the force managed to increase the number of visible minorities
but not to the same proportion as Canadian society.
The actions by the RCMP were, in general, perceived by applicants and RCMP officers themselves. It was believed that the RCMP lowers the passing marks or the cut-off lines of their initial eligibility test in order to hire females and visible minorities. However, this is only true for First Nations
persons. All Provinces, Divisions as labelled by the RCMP, offer programs for First Nation persons, where they receive one on one coaching by current members, which includes educating the applicants in the application process and aiding them in all aspects of the process so they can have an easier time succeeding. This program is not offered to any other minority. Additionally, security background checks are more laxed for those of Aboriginal decent while going through the application practise.
The RCMP is currently the police service of the majority of First Nations Reserves within Canada. These First Nations now have a choice of where they obtain their police service from providing the Band Councils wish to pay for them. One of the demands of most First Nations Band Councils is for the majority of the police officers to be of Native descent. While the RCMP has drastically increased the number of aboriginal members within the force, it is caught in a position where to satisfy demand from its clients, it must continually have aboriginal members for its First Nations contracts. However, with members of Aboriginal decent eligible to receive tax free salaries while working on reserves this is rarely an issue as far as staffing aboriginal members, and more of an issue for staffing members who are not Aboriginal as they do not qualify for the tax free savings and usually are not welcomed on the reserves. These positions are known as some of the most demanding positions, are usually isolated, and are certainly some of the most stressful. Aboriginal members report not being offered many of the same opportunities as their non-native counterparts, as they are constantly pressured to return to Aboriginal Policing within the force. This is partially due to the aboriginal members not wanting to leave the reserve policing and partially due to the weaker(?) hiring practises, which result in weaker(?) officers being recruited.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
's recruitment
Recruitment
Recruitment refers to the process of attracting, screening, and selecting qualified people for a job. For some components of the recruitment process, mid- and large-size organizations often retain professional recruiters or outsource some of the process to recruitment agencies.The recruitment...
process includes information sessions for potential applicants, as well as aptitude tests, physical tests, medical examinations and background checks.
Hiring factors
The factors considered in an RCMP applicant have changed over time. Applicants need to meet certain requirements for citizenship, education, and physical attributes. Historically, other factors such as age and gender were also considered.Age
Currently ageAge
Age may refer to:* Age , an aspect of mathematical model theory* Age , an international peer-reviewed journal operated by Springer.* The Age, a daily newspaper published in Melbourne, Australia* Agé, a god* Åge, a given name...
is not a hiring factor with the RCMP starting in the early 1980s to hire older individuals. Members starting their careers in their 30s are now commonplace; those in their 40s are numerous while those doing so in their 50s are rare exceptions.
Prior to the early 1980s, the RCMP recruited new members aged from 19 to about 25. The practice was relatively customary of those days, and based on three precise beliefs from the RCMP. First, policing could not be the second career of an individual. Second, young men were more moldable than older individuals to the police subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
. Third, criminal activity
Criminal Activity
Criminal Activity is the debut album by American rap supergroup Criminalz, which consisted of Spice 1, Celly Cel and Jayo Felony. It was released August 7, 2001 on Celly Cel's label, Realside Records. The album was produced by Doyle, G-Man Stan, Spice 1 and Stan Keith...
was linked to adulthood; by hiring young adults, the RCMP secured more chances that those individuals would have a crime free background.
Citizenship
Today, applicants are required to be Canadian citizens. In the late 1950s, both Canadian and BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
citizens were able to join the ranks.
Education
The RCMP formally requires a high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
Canadian diploma in order to meet the basic hiring qualifications, although many cadets are now community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
graduates or have degrees from Canadian universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
. In certain cases, some are even master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
holders.
In the past century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
, the level of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
continued to increase in Canadian society. Educational increment along with the complexity of the RCMP officer's daily tasks and duties rendered formal education more important in the eyes of the force. The population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
as a whole is now more educated, and so are citizens who join the RCMP. In the past, the requirement had been a 7th-grade or 10th-grade completion.
Physical attributes
Physical requirements are measured through a timed cardiovascular and strengthPhysical strength
Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
exercise task rather than specific absolute body measurements. The requirements simulate the physical demands placed on the body of actual RCMP officers facing an immediate physical confrontation
Confrontation
Confrontation is a tactical fantasy miniature wargaming in which the combatants are represented by metal figures in 28 mm scale. For comparison purposes, the system's figures are slightly larger than those of Games Workshop or The Foundry....
.
Before the 1970s, the RCMP hired only men of a certain height and weight. Often, a "good" candidate weighed over 200 lbs pounds and stood at or above 6 feet (182.9 cm).
Marital status
Marital statusMarital status
A person's marital status indicates whether the person is married. Questions about marital status appear on many polls and forms, including censuses and credit card applications.In the simplest sense, the only possible answers are "single" or "married"...
is not a factor in hiring, but in the past, new members had to be single at recruitment, and keep that civil status for the first five years of service.
Gender
Gender is a factor in hiring. In 1974 the RCMP hired about 20 women in order to create a female troop. They were sent to the RCMP Academy, Depot DivisionRCMP Academy, Depot Division
RCMP Academy, Depot Division has been providing police training to Royal Canadian Mounted Police "cadets" since its establishment in 1885. The facility is located in the west part of Regina, Saskatchewan, near the airport, and consists of several buildings.In the RCMP's early days, Depot had a...
for training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
. In the past, many police forces had employed women, especially for civilian duties. This time however, it was different. The RCMP hired women to carry exactly the same duties as their male counterparts. It has been a major change in the RCMP and the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
overall.
Recruitment process
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's recruitment process includes information sessions for potential applicants, as well as aptitudeAptitude
An aptitude is an innate component of a competency to do a certain kind of work at a certain level. Aptitudes may be physical or mental...
tests, physical tests, medical examinations and background checks.
Information session
Applicants are encouraged to first attend a two-hour information session usually held in the main cities of a province or territory. The information session is usually conducted by a member of the recruiting section and is in place so that applicants are fully aware of what becoming and being a member of the RCMP is all about.Entrance exam
After attending the information session applicants are scheduled to write their initial entrance exam, the RCMP Police Aptitude Battery (RPAB), which consists of the RCMP Police Aptitude Test (RPAT) and the Six Factor Personality Questionnaire (SFPQ). Prior to 2004 the test was called the RPAT (RCM Police Aptitude Test), and did not include the second component called the SFPQ (Six-Factor Personality Questionnaire). The RPAT is designed to evaluate an applicant's potential aptitude for police work. The test measures seven skills that are essential in completing the duties of a police officer. These skills include composition (spelling, grammar, and vocabulary), comprehension, memory, judgement, observation, logic, and computation.The second test of the RPAB is the SFPQ, which measures an applicant's conscientiousness, a concept not measured by the RPAT. This measure of conscientiousness is being introduced due to its close relationship with concepts such as honesty, integrity and commitment. Conscientiousness is defined as behaviour governed by or conforming to the dictates of conscience; principled. The SFPQ has 108 questions and takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Each question is written as a statement about which a person is asked to what extent they agree or disagree.
The RPAB aggregate score is composed of roughly 60% RPAT and 40% SFPQ scores. Applicants will receive written feedback on their performance for both tests including a score for each of the seven components of the RPAT.
The aggregate score is not currently being used starting in Sept 2005 for selection in the RCMP selection process. If an applicant receives the minimum score of 3.2 out of 5.0 they will be put on the Initial Ranking List. No other factors are used to determine eligibility in this stage of the RCMP selections process other than the minimum RPAT score. For the testing period April 2004 to March 2005, the mean
Mean
In statistics, mean has two related meanings:* the arithmetic mean .* the expected value of a random variable, which is also called the population mean....
English RPAT score was 3.480, with a standard deviation of 0.532. This means that roughly two-thirds of the applicants who wrote the RPAT scored higher than the required minimum score.
If one fails the RPAB or is required to re-write it, he or she must wait a minimum of 365 days from the date the applicant last wrote.
Selection package
After receiving their RPAB marks, the applicant is placed on the IRL (Initial Ranking List). This is a list that ranks an applicant based on their scores on the RPAB. The applicant will be listed on the IRL, usually a score above 3.80 is required to move in the process, some divisions may ask for a score above 4.20 (Division A, C and O). The IRL was reintroduced in September 2009 for selection and distribution of the Selection packages. The package consists of several forms that the applicant must fill out, as well as instructions on what the applicant must obtain before proceeding to interview including high school transcriptTranscript (education)
In education, a transcript is an inventory of the courses taken and grades earned of a student throughout a course.- United States :In United States education, a transcript is a copy of a student's permanent academic record which usually means all courses taken, all grades received, all...
s, passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
photos. Applicants are usually given about three weeks to return the package to their recruiting office.
Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation
The Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation (PARE) is a job related physical ability test which is designed to simulate a critical incident where a police officer chases, controls and apprehends a suspect. The test was developed by exercise scientists and is based on extensive research, including a thorough job analysis. One may not take the PARE without first receiving medical clearance from a doctor.The PARE test is currently free of charge for active applicants to the RCMP, provided the applicant completes the PARE successfully. Upon passing, a PARE certificate will be issued and is valid for six months. If the certificate expires during the recruiting process, the applicant will be required to be re-tested at the expense of the RCMP. Should candidates fail to maintain PARE certification, enrolment/engagement will be refused.
Regular member selection interview
Applicants are scheduled for an interview 4 to 8 weeks following submission of the application package. The interview consists of two components: First, a suitability interview is conducted, in which the applicant's skills and traits are evaluated. Second, applicants are required to undergo a pre-employment polygraph examination. This examination is used to determine the suitability of the candidate being considered for employment by the RCMP.The interviews are done by one to two officers, and usually last around 4 hours. During the interviews, applicants are pressed to recall and describe specific examples that demonstrate they have the skills required to become a member of the RCMP. Following the interview, applicants are warned to never discuss the contents of the interview questions to anyone, including other RCMP officers.
Pre-employment polygraph
As part of the recruiting process, applicants are required to undergo a pre-employment polygraphPolygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
test. This tool is used to determine the suitability of the candidate being considered for employment by the RCMP. The pre-employment polygraph was instated in 2005.
Background investigation
The security papers the applicant filled out are verified. Normally the background investigator will both call and visit places of employment up to 10 years back, places of residence up to 10 years back, friends, family, relatives, co-workers, supervisors and landlords. The applicant will also have a full credit check, and criminal records check, among other things. This part of the process normally takes anywhere from 3–8 months to complete.Medical clearance
All applicants are required to go through several medical testMedical test
A diagnostic test is any kind of medical test performed to aid in the diagnosis or detection of disease. For example:* to diagnose diseases, and preferably sub-classify it regarding, for example, severity and treatability...
including: Chest X-rays, ECG, Urinalysis
Urinalysis
A urinalysis , also known as Routine and Microscopy , is an array of tests performed on urine, and one of the most common methods of medical diagnosis...
, blood tests, hearing test
Hearing test
A hearing test provides an evaluation of the sensitivity of a person's sense of hearing and is most often performed by an audiologist using an audiometer. An audiometer is used to determine a person's hearing sensitivity at different frequencies. There are other hearing tests as well, e.g...
, dental exam, optical exam, and a full medical/physical with an RCMP physician. Applicants may be deferred/rejected at this point for an illness or condition that may prevent the applicant from performing the regular duties during training at the RCMP Academy, Depot Division.
Posting
Ever since the late 1980s, the RCMP has its recruits sign a cadet's agreement; under this agreement cadets must be willing to serve anywhere in Canada to suit the needs of the RCMP. During the final stages of Depot training cadets provide the RCMP with three preferred regions and five divisions to start their careers. The RCMP has a total of four regions; Pacific, North West, Central and Atlantic. Each region has an average of three divisions (provinces). Cadets are generally posted to one of the supplied divisions which would suit the needs of the RCMP.In prior years leading to the early 1980s, some RCMP recruits were signing special contracts where the force had to post them in specific regions where they could spend their complete careers.
Diversity
In the 1980s and early 1990s the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) implemented hiring goals to increase the ratioRatio
In mathematics, a ratio is a relationship between two numbers of the same kind , usually expressed as "a to b" or a:b, sometimes expressed arithmetically as a dimensionless quotient of the two which explicitly indicates how many times the first number contains the second In mathematics, a ratio is...
of members of specific races, ethnicities, and gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
s. At that time, the force make-up was almost totally composed of white males. The new hiring initiative, coupled with low overall hiring due to the small number of retirements and the weak Canadian economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
, rendered the possibility of white males joining the force rather small. The minority hiring initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
along with a court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
decision that allowed an RCMP officer to wear a turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
while working generated a great deal of controversy
Controversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
. The RCMP never managed to hire as many women as men. (One key reason being that only 20 per cent of applicants are women). As for races and ethnicities, the force managed to increase the number of visible minorities
Visible minority
A visible minority is a person who is visibly not one of the majority race in a given population.The term is used as a demographic category by Statistics Canada in connection with that country's Employment Equity policies. The qualifier "visible" is important in the Canadian context where...
but not to the same proportion as Canadian society.
The actions by the RCMP were, in general, perceived by applicants and RCMP officers themselves. It was believed that the RCMP lowers the passing marks or the cut-off lines of their initial eligibility test in order to hire females and visible minorities. However, this is only true for First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
persons. All Provinces, Divisions as labelled by the RCMP, offer programs for First Nation persons, where they receive one on one coaching by current members, which includes educating the applicants in the application process and aiding them in all aspects of the process so they can have an easier time succeeding. This program is not offered to any other minority. Additionally, security background checks are more laxed for those of Aboriginal decent while going through the application practise.
The RCMP is currently the police service of the majority of First Nations Reserves within Canada. These First Nations now have a choice of where they obtain their police service from providing the Band Councils wish to pay for them. One of the demands of most First Nations Band Councils is for the majority of the police officers to be of Native descent. While the RCMP has drastically increased the number of aboriginal members within the force, it is caught in a position where to satisfy demand from its clients, it must continually have aboriginal members for its First Nations contracts. However, with members of Aboriginal decent eligible to receive tax free salaries while working on reserves this is rarely an issue as far as staffing aboriginal members, and more of an issue for staffing members who are not Aboriginal as they do not qualify for the tax free savings and usually are not welcomed on the reserves. These positions are known as some of the most demanding positions, are usually isolated, and are certainly some of the most stressful. Aboriginal members report not being offered many of the same opportunities as their non-native counterparts, as they are constantly pressured to return to Aboriginal Policing within the force. This is partially due to the aboriginal members not wanting to leave the reserve policing and partially due to the weaker(?) hiring practises, which result in weaker(?) officers being recruited.