The Lower Mainland - Guaranteed RCMP Posting
 

http://bc.rcmp.ca/ViewPage.action?si...1&languageId=1

this link leads to a press release on the BC RCMP web site. There are two presentations at the Justice Institute tomorrow in an attempt to fast track new recruits to the Force. Just think, starting a new career 83 days from now and being able to be promised a posting at home!

There are reasons why they promise the LMD. They are very short of Members there, it's expensive to move into & live there, the workload is very heavy...and most Members not already living there...DON"T want to work there. If you live there now it's a lot easier to just go back home...and that way folks who don't want to work there, won't HAVE to be transferred there.

On the upside, they are making "battlefield promotions" to Cpl for Members with 3 years service, ( see "shortage of Members " above) you will get lots of very fast paced work, lots of exposure to just about every crime, lots of possibilities to get into specialized sections. Whoever is left after the 2010 burnout will get just about what they want. We're about 1000 Members short now in BC and huge numbers of the remaining experienced long service Members will be bailing soon as the Olympics are over. It's going to get way worse as there is no possible way to get the required numbers of new Members in the positions in the forseeable future. Also, the recent 2% wage clawback is NOT being taken well by Members. Anybody left standing will have almost unlimited opportunities waiting for them....but very few bodies to do the work.

We've had a Nationally advertised Cpl position available for a while now on our watch, but no one wants to come out here. Within the next year or so, we'll probably have another spot open, too.

Yeah, a buddy of mine who's been in the Force for 2 years is getting acting time already.

As a S/Sgt or white shirt? :)

If I sign up and get recruited can I choose to stay in Richmond, BC? I prefer handing out tickets than dealing with shootings in Surrey.

But Richmond had the plane crash into the apartment building?...and you would have to spend all the rest of your time dealing with whining, sniveling ricers in slammed Civics who said you were just harassing them because they had nice cars with tinted windows and no front plates. Sure you wouldn't like a nice gangsta drive by instead?

Why is there like a $10,000 differential in starting salary compared to VPD and other municipal police departments?

Maybe you should be looking into a career as a meter maid then. I am in Richmond and it isn't all about handing out tickets all day long. I can't even count the number of shootings I have been at, went into the building the plane crashed into, stabbings, had a guy come at me with a knife, foot pursuits, fights, car jackings, home invasions, kidnappings, etc. If all you want to do is hand out tickets, policing isn't the career for you.

There are tons of opportunities in the Lower Mainland, but they don't call it "the suck" for nothing. Contrary to popular belief it isn't all about eating donuts and drinking coffee. It is busy all day long, you don't always get a break in a 12 hour shift, you don't always go home on time (my last shift I had to stay 5 hours after the end of my shift which isn't the most fun after you have worked all night), you have a ton of responsibility when you are junior in service, and the list goes on. Even though it is hard work, I wouldn't trade it for anything. Aside from my troop mates in the Lower Mainland, I have done way more calls, seen way more stuff, been an Acting Corporal, done a northern relief posting in the Yukon, and the list goes on.

a co worker of mine's husband just went to depot last Sunday and he told her that he is getting his butt kicked. Also have a Colleague who started Depot in December and says its one of the most brutal things he has ever experienced.

Are there any Municipal members on here? or anyone who could explain the difference between RCMP 24 week training vs VPD 35 week training?

Ottawa would never really answer that. The RCMP is one of the cheapest Police Forces to hire. We come trained & equipped and, depending on the size of your town, you pay anywhere from nothing..to 90% of our "cost". If you are a huge city then you m ight pay list price...but with no union, we come 1 to a car and there are no minimum staffing levels like the Munis. Our caseloads are usually 2 to 3 times higher than Munis also.

On money alone we are about the 57th best paid Cops in Canada. When that really looked bad they came up with a formula that combined pay & benefits and told us that we would be in the top 6 of the Police $$$ universe. That has long gone out the window and now, while other Police are getting double digit raises, we get a 2% clawback. If it is about the money, then the Munis pay way better.

And from the other force files I've read in the lower mainland, the RCMP's standards in file writing is MUCH higher.

I went to the presentation. It was packed with people. They had to add a 3rd presentation to get everyone in.

Left my info for pre-screening. Hopefully they call. Exam is on March 7th.

I was there too they expected 300 ppl max but something like 700 showed up. I'm not eligible for accelerated program cuz of a recent 24hr. Made the wrong decisions before I realized what I wanna do with my life.

damn...sorry to hear that you dont qualify for it.

Can you provide me with a reference to that?

Thanks!

Not off hand...but the figure keeps getting passed around inside the outfit. I have no access to recent pay scales in Canadian policing but you should be able to google the info.

I'm not surprised they need people for the GVRD. if I was offered a job to work anywhere in Canada, I certainly wouldn't be picking the most expensive city in the country! you can still buy nice houses with large property for under 100k in some cities.

To be honest, reading what you posted is quite discouraging as I am preparing my application for municipal and RCMP. Honestly, who would want to do more work, and be paid less for the same job? Are there any positives that you can say about the RCMP? If not, I would focus my app for municipal only.

Not to discourage you, only to let you know what you will really be facing in the trenches. The advantages to the RCMP include access to a huge variety of specialized sections from overseas embassy stuff, international policing opportunities, air marshals, Tac, ERT etc. There are chances to travel as well..if you like that it can be a very positive thing. The Force tends to allow you to stay in the special sections, unlike Vic PD who rotate people in and out of them,m in spite of their desire to stay there. Work for Van PD and you will be there for your career with no change of scenery. It's a personal choice, and like many things in life, there are downsides and upsides to everything.

damn.. this is a pretty good thread.

i applied for RCMP for the opportunities.. even though i always wanted to be VPD. anyhoo it's been about 9 months now and i basically did eveything but recently hurt my knee and on medical hold :( ...... basically, i wish they had the 83 day process when i applied last year, would have been to and prob finished depot by now.

When you speak of international opportunities such as "overseas embassy stuff" and "international policing opportunities" as well as other opportunities to travel..

Do these apply for new constables? or are these opportunities usually given to higher senior members?

I've read about liaison officers working overseas in 35 different countries, but they usually only have 1 officer for each destination, so that's only 35 international liaison job opportunities there for that position, Are other international policing job opportunities with RCMP relatively be limited and a competitive process?

Whatever you eventually do, you will have to start by spending time in the trenches as a GD Cst for a while. If you have special skills you can often use them to get into special sections. They are often looking for people with these skills to take courses and expand what they do. Overseas postings do involve embassies & the best qualified people ( in theory) get them. They also are looking for teachers/instructors to do stuff like Africa, Iraq etc and they always need trainers for everything from driver training at Depot to snipers in ERT, to Air Marshals. There is also Boat section, Air section, PM protective detail...you name it. There is not a hope in the world that you will go into these without basic Police experience and personal skills. Have these and they will snap you up. As I have mentioned in other postings, after 2010 the desks and cars are going to be empty in a lot of areas. If they can make you a Cpl in the LMD after 2-3 years service without an exam or PRP or a minimum 7 years service right now...imagine the potential?

Theoretically, it takes 7 years to be a Cpl? Wow! But yeah, it seems like RCMP offers more opportunities for growth and to work in different areas, more so than municipal. Do you happen to know if they ever have any oversea postings for China, Japan or Korea?

Does RCMP offer ride-a-long to civilians like VPD?