Training to be a Court and Prisoner Services officer
By Angelle Meunier
Few
children stop and think, "I want to be a Provincial Protection officer
for CAPS when I grow up." Few people even know what CAPS is.
Jennifer Younker started the Court and Prisoner Services (CAPS) training program knowing it was the next step she wanted to take in her career.
When she was close to completing her police and security diploma at Grant MacEwan College she heard from a friend about the CAPS training course and decided to give it a try.
"In the three-week training course I can honestly say that I changed. I am more confident now than I ever thought I could be," she said.
The course includes ethics and professionalism, criminal law, general security processes, court room protocol, defensive driving, defensive tactics, arrest and control, high risk scenarios, bomb threat seminars, gang lectures and physical training.
Once the students graduate from basic training, learning continues with one week of firearms training, three weeks of job shadowing, and nine months under the supervision of a Provincial Protection Officer mentor.
Jennifer completed her three weeks training and is working alongside a Provincial Protection Officer mentor.
Instructor Constable Tyler Roddick-Ament says he feels a personal duty to ensure the program graduates leave with the skills they need to protect the public and the court.
"The people we put through this training course are the people who are going to get me home to my wife and kids every night."
Tyler has been working as a Provincial Protection Officer for over five years. He believes in the training and its ability to teach officers professionalism and confidence.
After working in security at a hospital, taking the CAPS training, and having 10 years of martial arts experience, it seemed like a natural move for Tyler to become an incident management instructor.
"It is part of a lifestyle choice for me. It keeps me on top of the game, and it makes me a better officer," said Tyler adding, "Sharing my own personal experiences with the students helps give them an idea of what they can really expect as officers."
There are 130 full-time and 40 part-time Provincial Protection Officers who work for CAPS.
CAPS professionals work as Provincial Protection Officers in courthouses in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Wetaskiwin, Red Deer, Calgary, and Edmonton.
Provincial Protection Officers' salaries range from $32,000 to $46,000. Officers have three major functions: transporting prisoners to and from the courtroom, supervising prisoners in the cell block and courtroom security.
In 2001, 53 new recruits were accepted into the CAPS program, 13 of whom completed basic training last winter.
