Surrey RCMP looking for local detectives for Police Academy

THE Surrey RCMP’s 2017 Citizen and Youth Police Academy will be running from September 13 to November 8. Youth applications are being accepted from May 1-31 and citizen applications will be available June 1-30.

The Citizen and Youth Police Academy is a nine-week course designed to give Surrey residents an inside look into policing in Surrey. This interactive learning series aims to foster a better understanding between Surrey citizens and the RCMP and explore what the community can do together to enhance public safety.

Last year, academy leaders introduced a new interactive component by having participants follow a specific case study from beginning to end to show how different units and sections at Surrey detachment work together to solve crime and prevent future criminality. Participants were introduced to a series of crimes that were connected and, through correct questioning and investigation, were given clues to assist them in advancing the investigation.

“The feedback we got was terrific,” says Surrey RCMP Sgt. Neil Kennedy, one of the organizers of the Police Academy. “Sometimes it’s not easy to see all the steps involved in police work and how much we rely on the community to help us do our job. We are always encouraged by the responses we receive and how participants understand how much they can contribute to public safety.”

Some of the feedback from participants:

  • “I wasn’t aware of empowering opportunities like Block Watch, and the details about your dispatch system which will make me feel less apprehensive about reporting drug usage in public spaces for what I used to think were ‘minor’ issues that the police wouldn’t have time for.”
  • “One comment that stuck with me is the encouragement of one of the officers to trust our instincts, and to observe and to report suspicious behaviour even if we think it might be nothing.”
  • “I feel more comfortable with police officers in general – they seem more real, I guess, compared to the disconnect you see between people and officers in the media.”
  • “I understand what the RCMP is involved with on a daily basis and how you prioritize calls and responses. I understand better what information I can provide that would be more helpful to an officer.”

Youth applicants to the Police Academy must meet the following criteria:

  • Completed application form (available at www.surrey.rcmp.ca from May 1-31)
  • In grade 10, 11, or 12 as of September 13, 2017
  • Student in Surrey
  • Complete and pass a criminal record check (no record or pending charges)
  • Be eager to learn, engage and participate in the course
  • Be available to attend all nine sessions (Wednesday evenings from September 13-November 8)

*Application deadline for youth is May 31.

Citizen applicants to the Police Academy must meet the following criteria:

  • Completed application form (available at www.surrey.rcmp.ca from June 1-30)
  • 18 years of age or older as of September 13, 2017
  • Resident or business owner in Surrey
  • Complete and pass a criminal record check (no record or pending charges)
  • Be eager to learn, engage and participate in the course
  • Be available to attend all 9 sessions (Wednesday evenings from September 13–November 8)

*Application deadline for citizens is June 30, 2017.

For more information and for application information, visit www.surrey.rcmp.ca or email Surrey.CPA-EPA.Surrey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.