RNC announces changes to recruiting program
Have you ever considered a career in policing?
After doing so, and doing your research, were there things you determined were roadblocks that kept you from following through on taking that big step to become a police officer.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) has examined these issues through dialogue with potential applicants and the public and determined they needed to make a change to its process of attracting, recruiting and training officers.
With this in mind, the RNC announced an overhaul of the police recruiting program beginning with the incoming class for January 2019.
Beginning in 2019, the police cadettraining program will include several key changes that the RNC believes will attract more interest from the public, and allow for enhanced training for new officers.
Recruiting officer Insp. Alex Brennan is excited about the changes and hopes this will add to the list of applicants the force gets, and enhance the numbers and types of individuals the RNC is able to get into its fold.
“‘Together, we can’ is the new mantra we are using for this program,” he said in making the announcement at RNC headquarters Friday.
“We have got to do a better job of selling ourselves. Hopefully, there are young adults out there looking for a career change who will think about the RNC.”
The new police cadet-training program is a six-month session as opposed to the 12-month training previously used, and will see candidates study at the RNC Training Centre in St. John’s, where they will get complete core training in police skills.
The recruits will begin on-the-job training in July and not September, as had been the previous practice.
Changes from past practice for police cadets will see those admitted to the program receive an hourly wage commencing at the beginning of their training. Recruits will be paid $15 an hour for 40 hours a week. Once the officers complete their six-month training, they will receive a competitive salary as a recruit constable starting in July.
Cadets will be required to pay a training fee of $2,800. Upon the successful completion of this program, candidates are eligible for employment at the RNC and may begin their one-year probationary period.
In addition, the educational prerequisites and minimum requirements have changed — there will no longer be two semesters at university during the training term.
The RNC will consider individuals with a minimum one-year post-secondary education from an accredited postsecondary institution, and additional consideration may be given to those who have obtained a higher level of education and/or education in the area of law enforcement studies.
Applicants must pass all 10 stages of the recruiting process.
Brennan said he was chatting with a woman earlier this week who commented to him that she would never be eligible to be an officer because of her stature.
He assured her that is not the case, as height and weight requirements have been removed.
“There are a lot of myths and stereotypes that need to be removed. People think there are certain roadblocks to becoming an officer, and those are not true,” Brennan said.
“Don’t make a decision based on false assumptions. Your stature doesn’t matter. We will give you the tools, training that you will need,” Brennan said.
The RNC is seeking hardworking, honest and dependable individuals who have high ethics and a motivation for making the community a safer, healthier place to live.
As an equal-opportunity employer, the RNC encourages anyone who is interested in an exciting and unpredictable career in policing to apply.
Brennan said the educational criteria changes to the current recruiting process will enhance the abilities of the officers coming on board with the RNC.
This process includes the current program at Memorial University.
“We have had great success with Memorial because we value the education of our members,” Brennan said.
“MUN is going to carry on the police studies program and we are pleased with that.”
He said continuing with the MUN program and adopting the new changes opens the pool up so there is a better opportunity to pick and choose applicants and at the same time increase the number of applicants to the program.
In addition, social media will become a key component in recruiting individuals to the cadet program, including a Twitter campaign that will be found at #Jointhernc to alert people of where recruitment sessions are and to answer questions individuals may have about the program.
Instagram, Snapchat, You Tube and Facebook Live will also be used.
‘Together, we can’ is the new mantra we are using for this program. We have got to do a better job of selling ourselves. Hopefully, there are young adults out there looking for a career change who will think about the RNC.
RNC Insp. Alex Brennan