Thank you for your interest in the New Westminster Police Service. The following information provides insight into the philosophy of our service, as well as outlining the minimum and preferred qualifications we seek in candidates.

Policing requires a unique combination of interpersonal, physical and intellectual skills. These talents include impartiality, discretion, public speaking, counseling, conflict resolution, investigating, problem solving and planning.

In recognition of attracting the best qualified candidates, we offer wages and benefits that are second to none. We also have the highest starting wage for police recruits in the province.

Our goal is to provide the New Westminster Police Service with the best-qualified candidates and, as such, our selection process is extensive.

Before you consider a career in policing, you should:

• have a clear understanding of the occupational and lifestyle demands of a police officer;
• possess the inherent personal qualities and attributes;
• have prepared yourself physically, academically and vocationally, and;
• have a sincere interest and desire to pursue a career in policing.

If you meet the above criteria, please review the following material. It will assist you in determining where you stand with your current qualifications and what areas you may need to improve upon in order to be competitive in the candidate selection process.

Are you currently a serving police officer and have questions about joining us? Contact Cst. Bruce Carrie former member of the RCMP at bcarrie@nwpolice.org.

A Few Words about the New Westminster Police Service

People are our most valued resource. Our goal is to seek candidates whose talents and experience will flourish in our service-oriented organization.

The New Westminster Police Service is committed to the Community. Our mission is to establish a safer environment by reducing crime, violence and fear while enhancing public safety and improving the quality of life.

We expect our constables to take ownership in their work, by exercising authority in a professional, legal and responsible manner. You must demonstrate creativity and innovation in problem identification and solving while respecting the rights and freedoms of individuals.

We promote crime prevention and provide crime-related information to our local merchants and residents while encouraging citizens and business to reciprocate with neighborhood information.

It is our belief that by focusing on crime prevention, problem-solving and professional service we collectively strive to improve the quality of life within our city. Ultimately, "Its about People".

Required Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must meet all of the following minimum requirements to be considered for enlistment:

• Canadian citizen or Landed immigrant.
• Minimum Age 19 years.
• Height/Weight must be proportionate.
• Minimum unaided vision 6/12(20/40) in one eye, 6/30(20/100) in the other. Correctable to 6/6(20/20) and 6/9(20/30). Depth perception and colour vision must be normal. Excimer Corneal Laser Surgery is acceptable - must have been performed at least three months prior to application. Radial Keratotomy is not acceptable.
• Hearing loss in one ear not greater than 50dB and the other ear not greater than 30dB in the 500 - 3000 CPS range.
• High School graduation or GED, PLUS one year post-secondary education (Academic, university transferable courses). Other course work of an equivalent level and duration may be considered.
  Education completed outside of Canada must be evaluated by the International Credential Evaluation Service (see Foreign Education Documents).
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver's license.
• Valid Emergency, Survival, Standard, Level 1, or First Responder 1 or 2 First Aid Certificate. CPR Certificate alone does not suffice.
• Must successfully complete a thorough background investigation.
• Must be able to complete a rigorous physical fitness test and a comprehensive medical examination.
• At time of enlistment, you must live within a 60-kilometer radius of New Westminster city limits.

Preferred Qualifications

Applicants possessing any of the preferred qualifications noted below, in addition to all of the required minimum qualifications , will be given preference in the selection process.

• Superior Interpersonal Skills - Our department places great emphasis on the Constable's ability to positively interact with all members of our community. In previous work, volunteer and social settings, candidates must have consistently demonstrated the traits of tact, diplomacy, and common sense.
• Related Volunteer Experience - Police Reserves/Auxiliary, Victim Assistance, Crime Watch, Blockwatch, and Community Police Office Volunteer, or any service club participation would be an asset.
• Education - Post-secondary education beyond the minimum, particularly, completion of a university degree is a definite asset . Preferred areas of study include Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Business, Recreation and Service/Hospitality.
• Knowledge of a Second Language - Individuals from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds live, work and play in New Westminster. Fluency in a language other than English is a definite asset.
• Industrial First Aid or Level 3 First Aid - These intensive first aid training programs expose the candidate to a greater variety of first aid scenarios.
• Work History - We are looking for employees who are the top performers in their present work role, whose work history is stable, dependable and discipline free. Experience interacting with the public in both positive and negative situations is an advantage.

Foreign Education Documents

International Credential Evaluation Service (I.C.E.S.) in Burnaby, BC, will evaluate education documents once they have received a Credential Evaluation Application Package and the appropriate fee. Please note that I.C.E.S. will not review documentation unless they have received the application form and fees. They can be contacted at icesinfo@bcit.ca. The basic evaluation is all that is required.

There are several other educational evaluation services in Canada. Each service office receives applications in English and French. One may contact any of the service offices listed below for further information and application forms:

Comparative Education Service
University of Toronto
202-214 College St.
Toronto, Ontario M5T 2Z9
Tel. 416-978-2185
Fax 416-978-7022

International Credential Evaluation Service
3700 Willingdon Ave.,
Burnaby, B.C., V5G 3H2
Tel. 604-432-8800 Fax: 604-435-7033
http://www.bcit.ca/ices

International Qualifications Service
Alberta Labour
10808-99 Ave.
Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0G5
Tel. 403-427-2655
Fax 403-422-9734

Services des equivalences
LeMinistere des Affaires Internationales,
del'Immigration et des Communautes culturelles
360, rue McGill
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 2E9
Tel. 514-864-9191

Applications containing foreign educational documents must include a certified copy of the independent review. If a review is still in progress, a receipt from the reviewing agency will be accepted. Applications without the completed review will not be considered.

Selection Process

The following outlines the Police Constable selection process. Additional information related to an applicant may be collected and evaluated. Information obtained through the selection process will be verified by background investigation and other means. Failure to completely disclose all relevant information may result in termination of the application. The dates scheduled for each selection step will be set as we start each review process. At times, the order of steps in the process may be changed.

1. Initial Application

The completed application form must be accompanied by copies of the following documents:

• Birth Certificate
• Current Driver's License
• High School Transcript
• Valid First Aid Certificate & Expiry Date
• Proof of Canadian Citizenship or Landed Immigrant Status
• Consent to Release Information
• Post Secondary Transcript
• Confidential Health Record
• Vision Report
• Audiometric Report

Previous vision and audiometric reports completed within one year of the date of application will be accepted. Medical examinations for the "Confidential Health Records" must be up-to-date. All forms and photocopied documents must be attached to the application form. Completion of medical and all other examination forms are at the applicant's expense. Original expiration dates must be clearly visible. Educational documents must be properly accredited. It is the responsibility of the applicant to prove that post-secondary education is recognized and transferable in Canada.

2. Application Review

Only those applicants who meet all the criteria outlined under Required Minimum Qualifications are eligible to be considered for the preliminary interview. Given the competitive nature of the recruitment process, it is likely that only those candidates who have also obtained one or more of the Preferred Qualifications will proceed to the preliminary interview.

3. Indices Check

Prior to attending a Preliminary Interview, the New Westminster Police Service will conduct an indices check on each candidate.

4. Preliminary Interview

A preliminary interview will be conducted by the New Westminster Police Service and a City of New Westminster Human Resources representative.

5. Applicant Testing

All applicants must successfully complete written and physical testing. The testing program consists of the following:

• Written Exams
• POPAT - Police Officers' Physical Abilities Test

6. Assessment Centre

An intensive one day experience comprised of a series of six career-related activities (e.g. Group discussions, role playing, and memory/reasoning exercises) will be conducted at the Justice Institute of British Columbia under the direction of a number of senior police officers trained as assessors. Candidates already possessing an acceptable assessment score will not be required to redo this testing.

7. Panel Interview

All information gathered to this point about the applicants will be used to select candidates for a Panel Interview. The interview panel consists of an Inspector or Staff Sergeant, an additional NCO from the New Westminster Police Service, a representative of the New Westminster Police Officers' Association, and an additional member from the New Westminster Police Service. This structured interview takes approximately one hour.

8. Polygraph Examination

Candidates successfully completing the Panel Interview will be considered for the Polygraph Examination. The number of candidates to proceed to the Polygraph Examination is based on the number of anticipated vacancies to be filled by the New Westminster Police Service. The Polygraph Examination is approximately two hours.

9. Medical Examination

Conducted by the City of New Westminster physician, the examination process is extensive and may include blood tests, x-rays and other specialized testing.

10. Background Investigation

The background is a thorough investigation conducted by a member of the New Westminster Police Service. It will consist of interviews with you, past and present employers, friends, relatives, teachers/professors, volunteer associates and, in some cases, neighbours. The candidate's adherence to moral and ethical principles, their work performance, and their interpersonal abilities are the focus of the investigator's probe.

11. Eligible-for-hire List

If the New Westminster Police Service has vacancies at the completion of the competition, candidates will be selected to attend the next available recruit class. Additional candidates will be placed on an eligible-for-hire list for future vacancies.

Recruit Training

If selected to become a Constable with the New Westminster Police Service, you can expect the physical, intellectual and emotional challenge known as Recruit Training conducted at the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Police Recruit Training is broken down into four blocks:

Block 1

Twelve weeks of training with emphasis on legal studies and police skills, with an introduction to the social sciences as they relate to police work. Areas of instruction include: Investigation and Patrol, Legal Studies, Traffic Studies, Community Relations, Physical Training, Driver Training and Firearms Qualification.

Block 2

Twelve weeks of practical training, working under the guidance and with the continuous assistance of two seasoned, specially trained First Class Constables. A Field Trainer Evaluation Report is completed by Field Trainers on each candidate assigned to them.

Block 3

Twelve weeks of academic training at the Justice Institute of British Columbia, Police Academy. Recruits continue to study and develop general police skills with a concentration on the social dimensions of police work, including two weeks of developmental simulations. The recruit graduates from Block 3 as a Qualified Municipal Constable.

Block 4

Requalifications, Self-Paced Study Package - Police Academy integrated exam administered by the Department. Successful candidates are certified Municipal Constables.

New Post-Employment Recruitment Model

In 2001, the Provincial Treasury Board and the Ministry of the Solicitor General decided that recruits are responsible for the payment of tuition fees, as set by the JIBC Board and the Police Academy, to attend the JIBC Police Academy for Blocks I & III of recruit training. The B.C. Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police agreed that the "post employment" model is the most appropriate in the circumstances, where recruits receive training after an employment offer has been made.

This change was made effective in 2002 and affects all recruits hired by any municipal police department in the province of B.C.

The Police Academy will now invoice recruits, in advance and as a prerequisite for attendance, for both Blocks I & III. Should a candidate be unsuccessful in Block I (or II), the Police Academy may provide a partial refund for Block III. However, it is important to note that policy regulations regarding refunds are the sole responsibility of the JIBC Board and the Police Academy.

There may be a variety of options for payment of the tuition fees (including student loans through government, the municipality or a financial institution). Because the JIBC is an accredited post secondary educational institution in the province, student tuition fees are eligible as tax credits.