New program allows newcomer to take 1st step toward joining RCMP

Harleen Kaur, who grew up in Punjab, India and became a Canadian permanent resident on P.E.I. last year, feels a little closer to her dream of becoming a police officer thanks to a new program from the RCMP.

Kaur's grandfather was a police officer in India.

"I like to help the people," said Kaur. "I think policing is the means to help."

Getting into a police school in India is difficult. Kaur felt like she might have more luck in Canada, but there were still barriers. One of those barriers was being an immigrant. In order to join the RCMP, applicants must be Canadian citizens or have been a permanent resident for at least three years.

But the RCMP has set its sights on recruiting more people from different cultural backgrounds.

"Canada's communities have changed," said RCMP Cpl. Ellen Peters, who works in recruitment on P.E.I.

"As the national police force we want to make sure that we're representing all those communities and cultures that we have. That in turn will make us a stronger police force."

So RCMP created DICE, the Diverse and Inclusive Pre-Cadet Experience, to focus on reaching new Canadians and people from diverse ethnic and cultural groups. People can apply to DICE as soon as they get their permanent residency, without the three-year wait.

Hundreds of applicants

Participants spend three weeks at the RCMP's training depot in Regina, learning what police training could look like.

There are only 32 spaces nationally and the first round was very popular, with 400 applicants. Kaur was one of two Islanders accepted for the second round.

"It's like 80 per cent physical and 20 per cent lecture," she said of her time at the depot.

"They put pressure on us, like, back-to-back we have fitness classes."

The hard work has not put Kaur off. In fact, it helped her focus on areas where she needs to improve for when she does become eligible to apply for the cadet program. She will have help with that process, because DICE also matches her with a recruiter.

In the meantime, Kaur is in contract with the RCMP as a recruiter, working directly with Peters to encourage more newcomers to try out the DICE program.