Training at the firing range.

A Career in Policing:

Have you got what it takes?

By Desiree Magnus

How many chin-ups can you do?
No, you’re not reading an audition call for the next Terminator. It is a skill you’ll have to demonstrate if you’re interested in becoming a police officer, but it’s not the only thing. Take a minute to consider the following questions:

Do you enjoy challenge and variety? Are you 18 years old? Are you willing to work a variety of shifts, including nights and weekends? Do you ever drink and drive? Have you tried illegal drugs? Involved in criminal behavior? Are there any offences on your record? Do you have any health problems or medical conditions? How do you feel about using deadly force? Are you self-confident? How important are honesty, integrity, and ethics? Are you both a team player and a leader? How effective are your problem-solving skills? Do you like to serve the well being of your community?

Are you recruit material?
Minimum requirements for application into the province’s police forces are demanding, in preparation for the many daily challenges a police officer will face on the job. Citizenship, age, education, health, vision, physical fitness, criminal record, driver’s license, safety certification, financial record and technical skills are all factors in determining your eligibility for recruitment. Police are equal opportunity, competency-based employers who look to hire the best people for the job. As Sgt. Sharon Bach, who’s in charge of the Recruitment and Diversity Unit of the Edmonton Police Service, puts it: “If you’ve got the skills and train hard, we look at everyone equally.” Selecting the best people to ensure the safety of Albertans is a careful process. Those who meet the application standards then undergo communications, police cognitive and physical fitness testing; background and behavioral competency interviews; a polygraph; psychological evaluation; security checks; and a medical examination.

Police play an important role in our goal to keep Alberta’s communities safe. Our population is growing, crime is getting more complex, and our forces are recruiting new officers to join their teams and contribute to a safe province. And, simply because of demographics, Sgt. Bach emphasizes there is “no better time than now” to consider a career in policing. With baby boomers ready to retire, Alberta police forces stand to lose a lot of experience at once and that is why they are proactively recruiting and training new members.

Police officers are rewarded with a variety of opportunities and experiences throughout their careers. If you’ve got strength, determination, commitment and a craving for challenge, act on it.

Recruitment officers from each force are available to answer questions, and you can also visit their web sites for detailed information on application requirements, guidelines and tips on preparing for the examinations and interviews, self-assessment tests and application packages.

Contacts

In St. Albert this young offender creates a memory box as part of her community service duties. Grieving parents receive gifts made by young offenders Imagine the trauma of going to a hospital to give birth, only to leave empty handed because your baby did not survive. Health care professionals know the importance of providing tools for families in this situation to help them deal with the loss. That’s where the idea of memory boxes came from. Many grieving parents are now given memory boxes containing their baby’s personal belongings. In St. Albert, a group of female young offenders created more than 50 of these boxes as part of their community service duties. “We hope this type of project helps these young people see how they can contribute and become a meaningful part of the community,” said Kim Sanderson, senior probation officer in St. Albert. The Memorial Box Outreach Program first started in the United States in 1998 and has since expanded to Canada, Europe, Australia and South America. For more information contact the Memory Box Program at (780) 462-8657 or go to www.memoryboxes.org.

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