How to Become a Police Officer in Canada |A TO Z| Toronto Officer Taha Ali|#police #canada #trending

Summary

In this insightful podcast, Toronto police officer and Imam Tali shares his journey and offers valuable advice on becoming a police officer. He clarifies misconceptions about educational requirements, emphasizing diversity in backgrounds and skills. Tali details the recruitment process, including interviews, background checks, and psychological exams. He also discusses the importance of physical fitness, volunteer work, and the ability to balance personal life with a demanding career. The conversation highlights the rewarding yet challenging nature of police work, the potential for career growth, and the significance of self-care and support networks.

Takeaways

• 👮‍♂️ Policing is a diverse career open to individuals from various educational and professional backgrounds, not just those with criminal justice degrees.
• 📚 Successful police recruits often come from a wide range of studies and professions, bringing unique skills to the police service.
• 🚔 A career in policing does not necessarily require a specific educational path; rather, it's the skills and experiences one brings that matter.
• 🏫 Prior education in police foundations or criminal justice is not a prerequisite, as police services provide extensive training.
• 👀 Police officers are expected to serve the community, so having a history of volunteer work is highly valued and often a requirement.
• 🔍 The process of becoming a police officer is extensive and includes stages such as interviews, background checks, psychological exams, and fitness tests.
• 💰 Starting salaries for police officers are competitive, with the potential for increases and additional income through overtime and promotions.
• 🚨 Policing is a demanding career with long hours and irregular schedules, which can impact personal and family life.
• 🌐 The job of a police officer involves dealing with a wide range of people and situations, requiring strong interpersonal and de-escalation skills.
• 🏆 A career in policing offers benefits such as competitive pensions and the opportunity for a second career after retirement, leveraging the skills and experience gained.
• 🤝 Balancing personal life with a career in policing requires support from family and friends, as well as self-care to manage the mental and physical demands of the job.

Q & A

What is a common misconception about calling the police?

A common misconception is that people only call the police when things are going really bad. In reality, the police are there to serve and assist the public in a variety of situations, not just emergencies.

What background does Mr. Tahal have before joining the Toronto Police Service?

Mr. Tahal has a diverse background. He studied criminal justice at the University of Guelph-Humber and worked in various security roles, including in hospitals, universities, and retail, before joining the Toronto Police Service.

What is the role of a detective constable?

A detective constable is a police officer who has moved into an investigative role from a front-line position. They are responsible for investigating crimes, laying charges, and following up on cases.

What are the educational requirements to become a police officer?

The basic requirement is to have a high school diploma or equivalent. While many successful recruits come from diverse educational backgrounds, it's not necessary to have a degree in criminal justice or a related field.

What is the significance of volunteer work for aspiring police officers?

Volunteer work is almost a necessity for aspiring police officers. It demonstrates a commitment to serving the public, which is a core aspect of police work.

What are the basic requirements to apply for a police officer position?

Basic requirements include being 18 years or older, being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, having a clean driving record, having 20/40 vision with both eyes open, passing a hearing exam, and having good moral character. Additionally, applicants must pass the ATS testing.

How long does the application process typically take to become a police officer?

The application process can take on average four to six months, but it can also take several years if an applicant is not successful on their first attempt and must reapply.

What is the starting salary for a police officer?

The starting salary for a police officer is around $50,000 to $60,000 during the training period as a Cadet. After becoming a full-fledged officer, the salary increases with each rank, starting at approximately $75,000.

What are the promotional opportunities within the rank of constable?

Within the rank of constable, there are numerous career paths one can pursue, such as investigative work as a detective constable, tactical unit, marine unit, traffic services, community services, and more.

How does the speaker suggest maintaining a work-life balance as a police officer?

The speaker suggests that having a support network that understands the demands of the job is crucial. Additionally, taking care of one's physical and mental health, setting boundaries, and maintaining relationships outside of work are important for maintaining a work-life balance.

What are some challenges police officers face in their personal lives due to the nature of their work?

Police officers often face challenges such as long and irregular hours, high levels of stress, and exposure to traumatic incidents, which can impact their personal relationships and mental health.

What is the retirement process like for police officers?

Police officers can retire with a full pension after 30 to 35 years of service. The pension is calculated based on the highest earnings during their career, and many officers also pursue a second career in the private sector after retirement.

Outlines

00:00

👮‍♂️ Introduction to Policing and Misconceptions

The speaker, a police officer named Tali, discusses the common misconception that police work is only for those with a background in criminal justice or police foundations. He clarifies that successful recruits often come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. Tali shares his journey from childhood aspirations to becoming a detective constable with the Toronto Police Service. He emphasizes the importance of various skills and experiences that can contribute to police work, rather than a specific educational path.

05:05

🎓 Education and Career Paths to Policing

Tali explains that there is no specific educational requirement to become a police officer, as police services provide comprehensive training. He highlights the importance of having a diverse background and being able to articulate how one's skills can benefit the police service and community. Tali also dispels the myth that a degree in police foundations or criminal justice is necessary, stating that many successful recruits come from various fields of study and professions.

10:05

🔍 The Role of Security Work and Volunteering

The speaker shares his experience working in security at York University and how it helped him develop skills for a career in policing, such as interacting with diverse individuals and de-escalating situations. He also stresses the importance of having a volunteer background, as it demonstrates a commitment to serving the public, a key aspect of police work. Tali mentions that volunteer work is almost a necessity when applying to police departments.

15:09

📋 Basic Requirements and Application Process

Tali outlines the basic requirements for becoming a police officer, including being at least 18 years old, having a high school diploma or equivalent, a clean driving record, and no criminal record. He also mentions the need for good vision and hearing, and passing the ATS testing. The application process involves multiple stages, including a pre-background questionnaire, interviews, background investigation, psychological exam, and medical tests.

20:13

🚨 The Demanding Application Journey

The speaker details the application process for becoming a police officer, which can take an average of four to six months if successful from start to finish. He notes that most applicants are not successful on their first attempt and may need to reapply multiple times. Tali emphasizes the importance of applying with the best version of oneself and improving on identified weaknesses before reapplying.

25:14

🏦 Financial Compensation and Career Progression

Tali discusses the financial aspect of being a police officer, including the starting salary and the progression through various stages of constable ranks, with each promotion bringing a significant salary increase. He also mentions the additional income potential from overtime, court pay, and extra duties. Furthermore, he highlights the competitive benefits package offered by police services.

30:15

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Balancing Personal Life with Policing

The speaker addresses the challenges of balancing personal and professional life as a police officer. He mentions the need for understanding and support from family and friends due to the unpredictable nature of police work, including long hours and night shifts. Tali also talks about the importance of self-care, maintaining relationships, and seeking help when needed to avoid burnout and ensure a healthy career and personal life.

35:18

🚨 The Impact of Policing on Personal Relationships

Tali discusses the impact of a career in policing on personal relationships, including the high divorce rates among police officers. He attributes this to factors such as long hours, lack of understanding from spouses, and the changes in personality due to the stress and trauma experienced on the job. The speaker emphasizes the importance of open communication, self-care, and seeking mental health resources to mitigate these issues.

40:24

💼 Post-Career Opportunities and Considerations

The speaker concludes by discussing the retirement benefits and opportunities available to police officers after their service. He mentions the competitive pension plans and the potential for a second career in the private sector, leveraging the skills and experiences gained during their time in policing. Tali also highlights the importance of preparing for a long career and the need for continuous self-care and personal development.

Keywords

💡Police officer

A police officer is a law enforcement agent responsible for maintaining public order, enforcing laws, and protecting the community. In the video's theme, the guest, Mr. Tahal, shares his journey of becoming a police officer, which is central to the podcast's focus on career guidance.

💡Toronto Police Service

The Toronto Police Service is the local police force that serves the city of Toronto, Canada. Mr. Tahal mentions working for the Toronto Police Service, indicating the specific law enforcement agency where he has been employed and gained experience in various roles, including as a detective.

💡Criminal justice

Criminal justice refers to the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties. Mr. Tahal studied criminal justice at the University of Guelph and Humber College, which provided him with foundational knowledge for his career in policing.

💡Diverse background

A diverse background implies coming from a variety of different experiences, education, or professions. The video emphasizes that successful police recruits often come from diverse backgrounds, not just criminal justice or police foundations, highlighting the importance of varied skills and experiences in the field of law enforcement.

💡Volunteer work

Volunteer work involves performing tasks or services for others without financial gain. In the context of the video, volunteer work is highlighted as an essential aspect for aspiring police officers, demonstrating a commitment to serving the community and public interest.

💡ATS testing

ATS testing refers to the Applicant Testing Service used by various police departments to assess candidates' suitability for police work. Mr. Tahal mentions passing the ATS testing as a prerequisite for applying to police services, indicating its importance in the recruitment process.

💡Probationary period

A probationary period is an initial trial or assessment phase in employment, often used to evaluate new hires. In the script, it is mentioned that after passing the probationary period, police constables can explore various roles within their rank, showcasing career progression opportunities.

💡Community service

Community service involves helping and serving the local community, often in a voluntary capacity. The video underscores the role of police officers as community servants, with volunteer work being a significant indicator of an individual's suitability for a policing career.

💡Career progression

Career progression refers to the advancement or movement forward in one's professional career. The script discusses various stages and ranks within a police officer's career, such as moving from a constable to a sergeant, illustrating the potential for growth and development within the police service.

💡Work-life balance

Work-life balance is the equilibrium between an individual's work responsibilities and personal life. The video script addresses the challenges of maintaining work-life balance as a police officer, given the demanding and unpredictable nature of the job, and the importance of support networks and self-care.

💡Mental health

Mental health refers to an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The script discusses the importance of police officers taking care of their mental health, as the job can be traumatic and stressful, and the availability of resources to support officers in this regard.

Highlights

Police are not typically called when things are going well, only during difficult situations.

Misconception exists that a background in criminal justice or police foundations is necessary to become a police officer, which is not the case.

Successful police recruits often come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds.

Tahal, the guest, shares his journey from childhood dream to becoming a detective constable with Toronto Police Service.

Tahal studied criminal justice and worked in various security roles before joining the police force.

Promotion in the police force is not strictly time-bound; it allows for various career paths within the rank of constable.

Volunteer work is almost a necessity when applying to become a police officer, demonstrating a commitment to serving the public.

Basic requirements for becoming a police officer include being 18 or older, having a high school diploma, and having a clean driving and criminal record.

The hiring process for police officers can take an average of four to six months, with multiple stages including interviews and background checks.

Police officers are paid during their training period, with a starting salary ranging from $50,000 to $60,000 as a Cadet.

Salary increases with each rank advancement, with potential for significant overtime pay and additional duties.

The process of becoming a police officer involves a series of interviews, background checks, psychological exams, and medical evaluations.

Police officers often work long hours, including night shifts, which can impact personal and family life.

The importance of self-care and maintaining a support network outside of work for mental and physical health is emphasized.

There is a high divorce rate among police officers, often due to the demanding nature of the job and lack of understanding or support at home.

Police officers have access to mental health resources and are encouraged to seek help when needed.

Retirement benefits for police officers are competitive, with full pensions available after 30 to 35 years of service.

Many police officers pursue a second career in security consulting or private investigation after retirement, leveraging their extensive experience.

Transcripts

says nobody calls us when things are good  right nobody calls the police when things  

are going well so they only call when things  are really really really bad so it's it's a  

very common misconception that you have to  do police foundations or criminal justice the  

majority of recruits that are successful usually  actually don't come from those backgrounds they  

come from a a diverse background of different  studies or different [Music] professions [Music]

want to put money out of your pocket like  interview your future self with tabish

shad welcome back to our podcast iyf where you can  interview your future self our today's episode is  

a much awaited and much requested one because  today we're going to interview a police officer  

this interview will answer most of your questions  on how to become a police officer so it's my honor  

to introduce you all to our today's guest Mr tah  Ali who has been working with Toronto police for  

a long time now and I'm proud to say that Mr tahal  is also an Imam at pron Islamic Center so just a  

side note that we'll have an exclusive religious  talk with him in a separate part that I'll post  

later so without any further delay let us begin  with so welcome to our podcast and we really  

appreciate you taking your time today I was really  looking forward to this day you know so today we  

have a list of questions that we want to ask you  as your career um being a police officer right and  

I want to tell you that I have collected these  questions from aspiring individuals who look up  

to this career as their dream job very good right  yeah so T before we get into the questions we want  

to know about your journey about your background  can you tell us about your background please sure  

um so like you said my name is Tali uh currently I  work for the trono Police Service yeah uh I'm I'm  

ranked as as a detective Constable right now so  it's a slightly different role than what normally  

you see us policing in uniform and all that  I did I've done this for about four years now  

and so majority of my career was spent in the  front line doing uniform emergency calls these  

kinds of things okay recently I've moved into a  more investigative role so investigating crimes  

laying charges uh following up on cases this kind  of thing okay um my journey towards policing began  

very long ago I remember as a child it was the  one thing that you know when you ask what do you  

want to be when you grow up yeah it was I want  to be a police officer I want to be a police  

officer I want to be a police officer um so when  I went to University my choice was to study in  

criminal justice I went to the uh University of  guf Humber so I did a joint program where I did  

a criminal justice at the uh GF University and  Justice Services or restorative justice services  

from uh the Humber College side okay so it was  a four-year program I graduated with both a a  

bachelor's degree as well as a a college diploma  yeah uh I worked in security for a number of years  

both during University and then for a couple  of years after University okay uh I worked in  

hospitals I worked in universities um just you  know in retail um any experience that I could  

get my hands on and then around 2019 I began my  process with the ton police okay and after a few  

months of going through the process which I'm  sure we'll get into a little bit later yeah I  

I was hired at in August of 2019 with the tones  that's great yeah okay T you mentioned that uh  

you moved into a different line that is as being  a detective yes right is it some kind of promotion  

that you get after certain number of years not  necessarily so a promotion in the policing ranks  

would be to go to a level of a sergeant okay but  as a constable as a as a regular police officer  

there are hundreds of careers within that one  rank right so a police Constable on the road  

who's in uniform or refer them to or you refer to  them as a police Constable they can move into an  

investigative role they refer to as a detective  Constable I see um you can go into you know the  

Tactical Unit you can work in the Marine unit uh  traffic Services Community Services So within the  

the rank of constable there 's hundreds of careers  that you can get into within that rank even for  

myself and the four years that I've been with  the uh Toronto police majority of it has been in  

the front line as a police Constable however I've  had times that I've been able to work in a plain  

Clos unit doing more you know investigative work  I've worked in our traffic services for a very  

short time I worked in our community Response  Unit for a short time and then like I said my  

recent role of moving into an investigative  uh unit so there's there's plenty of uh lat  

lateral movement within that rank of conable so  you get to choose them once you enter the field  

exactly once you pass your onee probation and  you do you know you you've passed that basic uh  

probationary period um there's it's it's an open  c for you of where you want to go within within  

that rank okay that's something great to know and  something very new yeah th you know I see that you  

were very clear from a very early age that you  want to become a police officer and you actually  

became one you fulfilled your dream and that is  not the is with most people you know most of us  

tell that we want to become a police officer  or maybe a pilot but end up doing something  

different later in life right and okay this is  the thing about International students that we  

see mostly in our life we see that most of the  police officers they're born and brought up here  

very few are immigrants or who were International  students previously right and I think the reason  

behind that is that we are not clear that how to  become a police officer in Canada right so when we  

come to Country we opt a course that has nothing  to do with B a police officer and then we have to  

restart our journey with a new course yeah what  will you suggest what course should they take in  

the first place so that which can help them to  become a police officer so the one thing about  

policing that's you know different than any other  career is that there isn't an actual University or  

a college or a program that you would take that  would lead you into that role okay um a lot of  

times we think of police foundations or criminal  justice law these kinds of things yeah the the  

from the eyes of the police service that's hiring  you MH the way they you look at it is that they're  

already going to teach you all of those things  you're going to go through a six-month training  

process to learn the laws to learn how to enforce  laws to learn the criminal code Etc what are you  

bringing to the table that they're not teaching  you so in my class we had about 120 recruits when  

I got hired very few of them came from where I  came from which was security criminal justice Etc  

um there was one individual in my class he was a  pastor another one who was a mental health worker  

uh somebody else who did construction somebody  else who owned their own business right and  

even age- wise some of them were in their early  20s like me when I got hired some of them were  

as old as 50 55 wow so with policing I I know I  always tell this to new uh students that I speak  

to because that's a question that I get a lot yeah  that you know I'm in let's say you know business  

or marketing or HR or Computer Sciences whatever  career may be and now I want to become a police  

officer doesn't mean I have to go back to school  yeah absolutely not okay uh whatever you choose  

the main thing is that you have to articulate to  the Police Service of how your skills are going to  

benefit that organization and in turn benefit the  community so if you have let's say a a business  

background yeah you're good with money you're good  with customer service uh you're good with you know  

paperwork for example these are all things that  the police service needs right somebody comes from  

a an IT background right technology is growing  and for law enforcement we need that technology to  

grow with us that's right so how can your skills  then be used within the police service so it's  

it's a very common misconception that you have  to do police foundations or criminal justice the  

majority of recruits that are successful usually  actually don't come from those backgrounds they  

come from a a diverse background of different  studies or different professions okay and it  

leads and they're able to take those skills  that they learned in that uh profession or in  

that line of work or in that study and then apply  it to serving the community which is the ultimate  

goal of any Police Service yeah that's right so  those Foundation courses that we you know get to  

know about a lot they're not must have they're  not must have at all no okay um I'm sure we'll  

get into it but the basic requirement is that you  have a high school diploma or an equivalent there  

of any postsecondary that you do afterwards is  really it's it's geared towards you and like I  

said if you can articulate how that study then  translates to helping within a police service  

and then you're golden okay that's a big relief  I think think and I've spoken to a lot of people  

oneon-one when they you know in the community  friends and family and stuff who are trying to  

get into the career right it's probably the number  one misconception that I hear right is you know I  

studied business or I studied marketing or HR  or supply chain or whatever I have to go back  

to school for four years and is like no you've  actually done something better than what the  

majority do is which try to go through uh police  foundations yeah um you've you've now added a  

diverse background to yourself that you can say  that you know what maybe 100 people apply they  

all have police foundations and the security job  well I have a business degree I've worked in you  

know retail I've worked here I've worked there you  you stand out from the crowd when you do that so  

it's it's it's a career that's open to any any  background or any uh field of study that you can  

come from okay that's awesome T you mentioned that  you were working as a security personal prior to  

this you also worked as a security person at the  York University yes how will you say that how it  

helped you to become a poli offic so again I think  the main misconception that a lot of times people  

have when you come from a security background is  that you then say well it's similar to policing  

so you know you wear a uniform here you wear  a uniform there you're enforcing rules here  

you're enforcing laws there right the one thing  that helped me when I went in for my interviews  

and so on and so forth with the police department  and showing that my security background actually  

helps the main thing was dealing with people yeah  so being in a role that I am interacting with the  

public I'm dealing with you know very different  people sometimes students sometimes you know  

people that are you know underhouse or transient  living on the property sometimes you know staff  

members sometimes you know when I work in the  hospital sometimes it's patients sometimes it's  

nurses sometimes it's visitors so dealing with a  a diverse background of people and learning how  

to interact with people speak to people deescalate  situations um learning how to handle a situation  

with without resorting to violence without letting  it escalate to those things yeah um that was the  

one thing that really stood out and helped me  in my career when I was working in security and  

translated over to being in a police policing  role was really a customer service approach  

right learning how to deal with people in the way  that you would want your family dealt with if they  

were interacting with the police right right and  will you see that um having some voluntary work  

experience helps so volunteer is almost it's  short of being a necessity okay when it comes  

to applying to police um I've never seen somebody  who didn't have a volunteer background get hired  

with the police department that's my personal  experience okay of the you know thousands of  

police officers that I see on a day-to-day basis  and even before I got into the career when I was  

looking to get in the one thing that I was always  told was you have to have a volunteer background  

the reason is because the job of a police officer  is to serve the public yes right the job of the  

police officer is to assist the public in whatever  their needs may be if it's a criminal matter then  

they're assisting in that but if it's a social  matter if it's you know finding them resources  

Etc you need to be somebody who wants to serve the  public and so the only way you can kind of uh show  

that is through volunteer work that's right and  so with me I volunteered in many different places  

I volunteered anywhere I could get into okay  so I volunteered again I work at a hospital so  

I volunteered in the hospital I was just you know  greeting meet and greet Services um I volunteered  

in the University campuses I volunteered uh you  know local centers wherever I could get into yeah  

and um some Services require a certain number of  hours of volunteer work okay so they want to see  

that you've exceeded a certain number of hours  um other services are okay with just you being  

consistent with volunteering but the main thing is  that they want to see a history of it right so if  

you put in your application let's say in October  of 2023 okay they don't want to see that your  

volunteer work started in September of 2023 right  so you have a bit of a history of volunteering  

okay and it doesn't have to be a lot right um when  I was going through University I was working two  

jobs full-time School other extracurriculars so I  would volunteer maybe once a week okay but it was  

consistently once a week for a number of years  and so even a little bit of volunteering but  

doing it consistently and showing that I'm doing  other things in my life but I'm still making time  

something think that's really matters to me  right yeah exactly and I think it's something  

again unfortunately with the lack of resources or  lack of information especially when it comes to  

our International students or in International  Community we tend to lack in because we think  

of policing as you know you have a degree you're  physically fit you're mentally fit you can become  

a police officer right whereas especially with  the police services here in Canada the mentality  

and the focus is that you're here to serve the  community you're you're you're you're a public  

servant public so volunteer is then hand inand  with that so th what are the actual requirements  

to become a police officer so the basic  requirements to become a police officer number  

one you have to be 18 years of age or older okay  there's no cap on the age so you can be right up  

until the age of retirement of course it becomes  harder the older at a certain age it becomes a  

little bit more difficult but there's no cap on  the uh age so 18 years of age or older you have to  

be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident okay  you have to have completed a high school diploma  

or equivalent so if you completed a high school  equivalency back home yeah it's acceptable here uh  

you have to have a clean driving record so a full  G license with no more than six uh accumulative  

points or demic points on your license okay and  obviously the the less you have the better you  

have to have a few tickets here and there can  a lot when it comes to your application so I  

always tell people if you're applying to become  a police officer drive very very carefully no  

speeding don't worry about the yellow light trying  to get through it drive very carefully especially  

when you're going through the process drive very  carefully um obviously you can't have a criminal  

record so no criminal interactions with the police  where you've been arrested or charged or convicted  

okay um beyond that you have to have 2040 Vision  with both eyes open so you don't have to have  

perfect vision even for myself I wear glasses from  time to time but it has to be at a point where  

if both eyes are open that you can generally see  well around you uh you have to pass a hearing exam  

obviously be physically fit good moral characters  right and uh lastly for a lot of services except  

for maybe a few in Ontario you have to pass the  ATS testing so the ATS testing is it's an outside  

agency and you go to them you do a written test  you do do some physical uh evaluations as well as  

some Behavior evaluation and then they issue you a  certificate that certificate is then what you use  

to apply to whatever police agency you want to go  to okay so you get to choose the police agencies  

that which region you want to work with oh yeah  definitely and and the norm or the more common  

thing that a people do especially which I did as  well you apply to multiple agencies okay so you  

apply let's say PE Regional Police Toronto York  Halton uh op Durham you know where wherever you  

want to apply to yes and again kind of going  on that point sometimes people think it looks  

bad that you're applying to multiple agencies but  every service understands that your your goal is  

to become a police officer so there's majority  of the time there's nothing negative in that  

right you let them know during your interview that  I'm also entertaining interviews or going through  

the process rather with different agencies and  totally it's totally acceptable okay that's let's  

say someone has that high school diploma water  equipment as you mentioned yes and they decide to  

become a police officer yeah how much time it will  take them what is the fastest like how much time  

they can expect oh years yeah yeah so once you  have a high school diploma with every graduating  

class every service usually puts out their uh  their statistics I haven't seen the statistics  

go below 95% okay of successful recruits that  have been hired with the police department having  

uh no post-secondary education okay so 95% of  people that do get hired have a postsecondary  

education right now like we discussed earlier that  post-secondary education can be in whatever you're  

interested in right right and I always tell people  think if you weren't to become a police officer  

what is the next thing that you'd want to do right  where where are you interested in yes right so you  

want to become a police officer but you have  an interest in it and computer science don't  

do police foundations do it and computer science a  backup field as well as a backup field right it's  

it's extremely competitive to get into policing  and so you can have that diverse background you  

can have that different those different forms of  studies but do some kind of a post-secondary study  

whether it's College University whatever it might  be some sort of post-secondary Education okay the  

process once you put in an application with the  police department usually on average is about  

four to six months okay and during that time  this is talking about after you've done your  

testing okay so you've done your ATS testing you  have your certificate you go and you fill out the  

application process yeah anywhere between four to  six months okay um most recruits most applicants  

aren't successful in their first application I I  wasn't successful in my first many applications  

so it takes that's where the year add up so you  go through it once let's say they fail you at the  

interview stage when you reapply then you start  up again from the bottom and you go through it  

again and sometimes there's a bit of a waiting  period so they might say you know you can't you  

can't apply for the next six months sometimes you  can't apply for one year right so and the reason  

for that is not necessarily something negative  about you but they might have seen something in  

the interview let's say for example your education  was lacking your volunteer time was lacking they  

want you to make it up exactly and I always tell  people whenever you apply for a police services  

apply with your the best version of yourself right  make sure that look at those fields that they're  

going to analyze you in and see where are your  weaknesses before they Point those weaknesses  

out to you so if your weakness is let's say for  example physical health right your running is a  

little bit weak your cardio is weak your strength  is you know that already about yourself so work  

on yourself don't for them to tell you exactly  work on yourself and then when you apply apply  

with the best version of yourself if you're  unsuccessful then go back and say okay where  

was I lacking and how can I uh how can I make that  up right um so it could take sometimes four to six  

months is once if you go through from Step A to  Z and you're successful four to six months is the  

average time okay it could be a couple of years it  could be a few years of waiting um for myself it  

was I would say my first application was actually  while I was still in University I applied to what  

their what's called their Cadet program okay so an  internship type program I wasn't successful in my  

application okay and then I waited a little bit of  time I applied for the auxiliary program I wasn't  

successful in my application then I graduated in  2017 I applied again to the cadet program I wasn't  

successful in my application 2018 came I applied  again I wasn't successful so you were really  

serious about becoming police off oh yeah and then  finally in 2019 I I think it might have been early  

in 2019 I I applied for the Toronto police  as a police constable and then I I I made my  

way through so so the Gap was covered yeah that's  you mentioned that there were some stages like in  

stage and other stages how many stages are there  actually so your first stage is What's called the  

pre-b background questionnaire okay in that stage  it's an introduction MH uh you go in you fill out  

a basic form about yourself okay right how many  times have you had interactions with the police  

what's your education level um they'll ask some  personal questions you know if you have any drugs  

or alcohol or any other substance abuse type type  of things in your life and just a basic more like  

a an introduction to yourself yes you sit down  with a recruiter at that time it's it's a very  

short interview maybe anywhere between 10 to 15  minutes okay and they kind of flip through it and  

that's really just a a screening process have you  met at least the basics to get into the process  

to get into the process and so at that time uh  they'll sit down with you they'll go through  

that form and then they'll call you back in for  an interview there there's usually might be a a  

week two week waiting period even up to two or  three weeks between each proc each each uh stage  

so it's quite quite drawn out M your next stage  after that would be your first interview okay so  

it's referred to the as the ECI and lfi which  is the um equivalency competency uh interview  

and then your local Focus interview okay so those  interviews are more uh situation based right um  

the interview questions would be somewhere along  the lines or the format of here's a situation name  

a time that you dealt with XYZ right name a time  you dealt with you know a hostile work environment  

in a time that you deescalate a situation right  so once you've passed your pre pre-b background  

questioner I always tell people look into the  core competencies and the core values of whatever  

agency you're applying applying for the questions  will come from there all right so study about them  

study about them and find examples in your life  and in your experience that speaks to those values  

that they're looking for right they're looking for  accountability looking for trustworthiness they're  

looking for honesty find examples in your life  where you demonstrated those qualities because  

the questions are going to be those it's going to  be situation based name a time that XY Z happen  

this interview there's some services do them as  two separate interviews so the ECI one day lfi  

another day yeah some services do them together  Toronto police when I applied they did them on  

the same day okay so you sit in an interview it's  a couple of hours and then they give you a 15 20  

minute break they come back and tell you if you  were successful in the first interview then you go  

to the last then you go to the second one if you  weren't then they say you know what I'm sorry you  

won't be moving on today your second interview you  go in for it's another maybe hour 45 minutes could  

even be an hour and a half depending on the uh the  questions yeah once you pass that that's when your  

background investigation begins okay so that's the  third step is a background investigation they're  

going to ask for uh all of your family contact  neighbors uh work rated contact and personal  

contacts okay and the people who are doing these  are trained investigators so just because you've  

given them five names they're going to contact  those five names they're going to run it like  

an investigation right right so they're going to  contact those five names if they get more leads  

into your life outside of those they're going to  start calling those people right and I remember  

during mine it was actually interesting I walked  out of my interview and my phone started ringing  

with a few friends who I haven't spoken to in  years wow and they're like hey are you trying  

to become a police officer and I was like how how  do you know how do you know this and they're like  

I just got off the phone with a detective I didn't  know if it was an actual call because I haven't  

talked to you in years so they're very quick in  starting this and very thorough in a background  

investigation right okay um all of your previous  employers are contacted anyone that maybe you were  

friends with your family members um for me it was  even my neighbors so people that I live with they  

would come and they came and interviewed them and  said said hey you know so and so who lives in this  

house what can you tell me about their son yeah  right oh he's a good guy he's this he's that or oh  

I see him coming home late at all kinds of hours  right they're looking for whatever they can find  

about your personal life right so that background  investigation goes on if you're successful in that  

and they don't find anything that's concerning  you're called in for a psychological exam okay  

again that's another part that's two parts so  you'll do a written psych exam um there's no way  

you can study for it right there's no studying for  the exam I always tell people don't try to trick  

the exam right their main job there is their  rooting out any kind of mental health concerns  

that might exist with you so if you're mentally  healthy then you're mentally healthy you'll be  

fine you can fix it yeah you're fine right um  sometimes people get weeded out at this stage  

when it comes to maturity levels a lot of times  people like for myself you apply when you're 19 20  

21 years old maybe it's not it's not that there's  anything wrong with you but you haven't had a lot  

of life experience yet right right so maybe that  test then shows that you're lacking a little bit  

in that maturity or in that development so it's  not a negative thing it's just that you have to  

come back in a little bit right but regardless  there's a a written test and then you sit down  

with a psych a psychiatrist or psychologist okay  and they'll go through just just an analysis of  

who you are right tell me about your childhood  tell me about you know when you're growing up  

what were some challenges you had in life or some  achievements you've had in life the best thing  

to do with it is just be honest truthful Frank  honest open like I said for this stage there's  

no studying for it there's no preparation that you  can do for it so if you can't fix any if there's  

nothing you can do about it there's not no reason  to worry about it yeah right get through that  

process once you complete that process they'll  continue with their uh background investigation  

furthermore okay some services will then ask for  you to do a final uh fitness test okay right the  

reason is because you did a fitness test maybe six  months ago MH when you passed your uh ATS testing  

yeah they want to make sure that that Fitness  before they send you to the police academy is  

still maintained is still maintained so I always  tell people just because you pass the first test  

don't let go of the gym and start eating all  everything you want still keep up your physical  

Health you'll need it throughout your career  right right you'll need it for your whole 35  

years of your career so keep keep it at least for  six months be on top of it but a lot of services  

will ask you to do a final fitness test okay once  you pass that that's when you get your conditional  

offer okay so I think we've covered like four or  five stages at this point but it's mainly broken  

into interviews background investigation and then  a psych exam right and then they'll ask you to do  

a medical exam as well okay usually it's more of  a formality because if you've the the idea is if  

you've passed everything till this point it's just  making sure that you don't have any underlying you  

know health conditions right um they'll do a  last chest or last test on your eyes and your  

hearing because again you did one six months ago  you passed it generally you're going to pass it  

again yes but they'll do one just to make sure  um but yeah during those once you get that offer  

and you're going for those medical tests you're  pretty much in so so it's quite it's a very long  

process and that's why I tell people when you're  going through the process I actually have a friend  

of mine who's going through it right now yeah  I always tell them celebrate every single step  

right it's a long process right if you look at  the mountain at the peak of the mountain you're  

going to feel overwhelmed but you just look at the  step in front of you right right now I have to do  

interviews right so how do I make my best for best  version of myself for my interviews you pass that  

okay good you can relax a little bit next one  there next one background okay okay make sure  

I have all my contact lists in order make sure  I can give them all the information they need  

get past that okay now psych exam get past that  right so you have to break it up into chunks for  

yourself otherwise it's very overwhelming right  so about the salaries so let's say one gets hired  

what is the starting salary that they can look  at so as a kid you get paid when you're going  

through training as well okay if you're six  months that you're going through the training  

process you get paid for that okay your payment  at that time around and it changes year to year  

based off of whatever the negotiations are between  our association and the service um you are working  

for a government organization right so your salary  and everything is coming from the city's budget or  

the Region's budget that you're uh you're working  for so it might vary be you know from one uh time  

period to another yeah however generally speaking  you're looking around 50 to $60,000 when you start  

as just a Cadet okay your 6 months as a Cadet  around 50 to 60,000 okay once you get hired  

on uh you have four stages that you go through so  you're a fourth class Constable third class second  

class and first class okay each jump is about 10  to $15,000 of a jump okay so you'll come in at  

75,000 you'll jump up to 85 95 and then around  105 110 is when you're first class Constable  

okay um when it comes to the policing Sal that's  just your base pay and all the overtime that you  

do which you'll do a lot of overtime as a police  officer uh all your overtime your court pay um you  

know extra duties that you take on extra shifts  that you cover Etc all of that adds up on top of  

it right so you can make as much as you want when  it comes towards your uh extra salary but these  

are the base salaries that you go through order  do yeah and of of course as with any government  

job you have a very competitive benefits package  that's right that's right and you mentioned that  

there are four stages of being a police Constable  yes and 15 with 15,000 each jump how much is the  

time gap between those gaps usually it's about  a year okay a year for another level yeah so  

you'll go through your probationary year when you  start on you're a fourth class Constable then you  

jump up to a third class one more year you jump  up to second class one more year you jump up to  

first class so you're looking at anywhere between  three to four years from when you get hired when  

you make uh first class Constable okay and what  is the future after first class Constable so the  

promotional process then begins if you want to  take your career that way okay um a lot of police  

officers and the majority of police officers  actually spend their whole career at the level  

of a constable okay um like we discussed earlier  within that you have hundreds of careers that you  

can get into as a regular first class Constable  whether you want to go into investigative work  

if you want to go into tactical work work if you  want to go into Community work traffic Services  

Frontline whatever it might be yeah um even  forensics departments um the list is endless  

okay so a lot of people spend their career  their whole 35 year career at that level  

okay um however if you want to move forward the  next rank up would be a sergeant okay right and  

there's a separate process internally within each  police department and it varies from One Police  

Department to the other okay but it's like any  other promotion at any other job right you'd do a  

lot of written tests some interviews and then it's  uh a personality test right do you fit that role  

have you demonstrated leadership a sergeant is a  leader right so a sergeant is then in charge of  

their platoon or their team a staff sergeant is  in charge of all of the sergeants the inspector  

is in charge of the station and then grows from  there okay makes sense you mentioned that with  

the basic P that you can do all the over duties  that you get assigned to MH and I see from that  

that you get a lot of overtime as well yes how do  you manage your personal and professional life are  

you able to balance it you have to have a very  um understanding personal life right and what I  

mean when I say that is if you're married or if  you have parents whoever you have in your life  

your family your even your friends um they have to  be very understanding of the fact that you don't  

work in a job where you can close the computer  and come back tomorrow yes right if you're in  

a situation if you're dealing with a a situation  that's that's it right it's you're the one that's  

there right right um so that's one thing that  a lot of times when it comes to new recruits or  

people who are applying it's the one thing that  I tell them to look into what is your um what is  

the structure that you have at home what are the  support networks that you have in your own life  

yeah and will this type of a lifestyle be fitting  towards that right um I was talking to a recent uh  

individual who wanted to apply to policing and  his one question was always how do I get into  

a Monday to Friday role yeah right at what point  do I stop working night shift right and I was like  

there's guys who have been on the job 20 years 25  years 30 years they're still working night shift  

so you're going to work night shift right you're  a police officer your job is to help the community  

and unfortunately crime doesn't have uh money the  Friday 9 to 5 schedule it doesn't mean those roles  

don't exist yes there are roles within the police  department that allow you to work Monday to Friday  

9 to 5 job but they're not the first role that  you're going to get right you're going to start  

off in a cruiser on the streets working 12 hour  shifts 11 hour shifts um you're going to work a  

lot of overtime you're going to be tired at the  end of those shifts so you have to make sure that  

that support network at home is very understanding  of the fact that this is the type of line of work  

work that you've gotten into right right um now  moving on from that the big thing for any person  

who's considering this as a career is that it's  a very long career right usually 30 35 year long  

career yeah you want to make sure you're healthy  at the end of that career yes so you have to then  

make time for yourself yeah right take time to  exercise take time to get your sleep eat properly  

you know have time where you're just free time  right turn off your phone turn off you know the  

work stuff meet with friends who aren't police  officers right kind of get out of that lifestyle  

because it's very easy to get sucked into it where  it becomes your only life you can have a burn out  

yeah it's very important that you find balance  in your own life right and that you make that  

a priority because it's a very long career right  and at the end of the day your children your wife  

your parents your family family they're they're  number one right they were there for you before  

the career they're going to be there for you after  the career that's right so you have to make sure  

you maintain those relationships as well and it's  not easy to do but it takes a lot of understanding  

from your home network and it takes a lot of work  on your end to learn how to kind of draw certain  

lines right I know I that's what I just concluded  a very beautiful understanding of this that you  

have to sit with your spouse and your children  maybe with your per as well before you opt for  

this career yes and are you ready for it these  are going to be the outcomes yeah and we see a  

fact I was studying This research that the highest  divorce rates are among police officers they are  

yes is it true um I've seen the same studies yeah  and I've seen it in my personal in what I see you  

know working with the guys that I work with it's  very true unfortunately and what is the reason  

with with that so there's there's a number of  reasons that come in yeah from my you know from my  

own experience I haven't had experience thankfully  yet with the with the divorce side of things yet  

but um what I see and I think my perspective is  kind of on the outside looking in right so I see  

the officers that are going through that type of a  a breakup or their family life is kind of falling  

apart the long hours do contribute to it right  if you don't have a spouse that understands fully  

what it means to be a police officer and what it  means to be working you know those long days and  

being tired at the end of those long days that's  a contributing factor to it the other as side and  

I'm going to say this as a police officer myself  sometimes we author our own misery and what I mean  

by that is that what I spoke about earlier if you  don't take care of your own mental health yeah and  

your own physical health then you don't you're no  longer the same person that your spouse married  

you know 5 10 15 years ago that's right so the job  does have a a a a burnout factor to it and you do  

change a lot right um the the average person in  their life I think the statistic was and I if you  

can correct me if I'm wrong statistic was that the  average person sees maybe four to five traumatic  

incidences in their entire life MH and for a  police officer that's just one shift right wow  

so I never thought about it that so you see in one  shift the amount that some people might not see  

in a liftime time and so it changes who you are  as a person right you have to take time to find  

yourself within that you know chaos as well right  and it's very important that you learn how to  

seek help when you need it right um the services  offer a lot of Mental Health Resources for police  

officers and certain roles if you're working in  certain units you're actually mandated to get that  

assistance okay right um we have briefings after  most after very critical incidences they do offer  

briefings and peer support okay unfortunately the  culture with policing used to be and it's changing  

now for the better it used to be a very uh alpha  male strong personality so you don't ask for help  

right as a police officer you're somebody who's  help others yeah so your whole day your whole life  

your whole career is how do I help that person  that person has an issue how do I help them and  

you forget to say well how do I ask for help for  myself right when those things aren't in place so  

somebody's working very long hours they're burnt  out mentally and physically from the that time  

and then on top of that they're not getting any  kind of recovery right it's just like your muscles  

your brain is a muscle just like any other muscle  all right you go to the gym if you work out let's  

say biceps one day you work out biceps the next  day you work out biceps the third day to yeah  

you need recovery for the muscle to grow right  and your brain is the same way you need recovery  

for it to grow so that you can handle those  those stressors so that you can handle those  

uh situations that you're going through yeah so  it it's twofold right if you don't have somebody  

at home that understands and a lot of people it's  difficult for them to uh to really get on board  

with that type of a lifestyle and schedule and  you know not knowing where their spouse is not  

knowing what time they're going to be home uh you  make family plans it happens with me all the time  

right you make certain family plans and then you  have to call and say actually I'm not going to  

be home for four hours five hours six hours you  can you have to go either by yourself or you have  

to postpone it we have to postpone it right so it  it is taxing but the the main thing that you need  

to look into is taking care care of yourself and  having open communication with whoever you speak  

with or whoever you're whoever is in that uh life  with you and specifically if we're talking about  

divorce right and it's your spouse right um  You need to be in an open communication with  

them right you know this conversation is uh I'm  I'm just having a different kind of respect for  

police officers now okay that's great that's about  the again about coming back to the compensation  

part do you see yourself getting proper retirement  at the end of the career oh definitely yes okay um  

like I spoke about earlier the uh the benefits  package which includes a pension which includes  

you know uh benefits after you retire and Etc okay  um they're very competitive so a lot of police  

officers are looking forward to when they hit that  that time when they can retire yeah usually a full  

retirement for a police officer is between 30  to 35 years okay so once you've done 30 to 35  

years then you can retire with a full pension  okay and different Services have different ways  

of calculating it but it's based off of how much  you made at the highest point in your career okay  

right so what was your highest earning in you  know let's say five years or 10 years of your  

career and then they'll give you uh you know a  payment out of that right um so yeah retirement  

is something that you know thankfully policing  is a career where you don't have to really worry  

about where what you're going to do after you  retire right and the other um added bonus you  

can say is that especially for when you get  into this career if you get in at a younger  

age you know for me I got hired when I was 25 so  30 to 35 years you can retire at 60 yeah you're  

60 55 60 years old you can retire and if you're  still physically fit and you're active 35 years  

in policing you've gained so many experiences and  expertise and training that a lot of people and a  

majority of police officers have a second career  even after they've retired so they'll retire and  

then they'll take a job in the private sector  let's say Consulting for security or they'll  

take a job you know doing private investigation  whatever it might be right um 35 years in policing  

you gain a lot of experience a lot of Education a  lot of training and so that makes you if you feel  

that you're able to still work and you want to  make a supplemental income then you have a lot  

of skills and uh experiences that can continue  even after that open movies yeah thank you  

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