Frequently Asked Questions

Does NWPD hold info sessions?

If you have questions about our process and your application, please contact our Recruiting Section at recruiting@nwpolice.org

How do I apply?

Once you have had a chance to review the minimum requirements and preferred qualifications and want to apply, you can download and print off a copy of the application form.

I have completed my application, how do I submit it?

Deliver or mail your application in a sealed envelope to the office of the New Westminster Police Department:

New Westminster Police Department
Attention: Recruiting
555 Columbia Street
New Westminster, BC
V3L 1B2

How do I prepare for the exams? Written & POPAT.

Please visit this link for more information on the exam.

While you don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to be a New Westminster Police Officer, you must be able to cope with the physical and mental demands of the job. NWPD runs all of their candidates through the POPAT (Police Officers Physical Abilities Test). The POPAT test is designed to simulate and measure an officer’s physical ability to respond to a critical incident and apprehend and/or control a prisoner/suspect. The test was developed by exercise physiologist and is based on their research findings. The maximum time allowed is 4:15 however, we prefer our candidates to be as competitive in their time as possible.

If you are unfamiliar with the POPAT test, there are many facilities in the Lower Mainland that offer POPAT training and they are searchable online.

I ran the POPAT with another police department and/or the RCMP Pare, is my score transferable?

No, unfortunately not.

I attended the JIBC Assessment Centre with another police department, will you accept my score?

Yes, please indicate on the application form if you have attended the Assessment Centre along with your score and the month/year that you attended and we will request your score card from the JIBC.

In the past, I have done something I am not proud of, will this affect my application?

Possibly, there are many factors that come in to play. When reviewing the applications we always consider the applicant as a whole. Our recruiting strategy does not involve hiring “perfect” people, in fact, a candidate who has life experience, has made mistakes and learnt from them, who has lived a well rounded varied life is definitely welcomed.

Please be sure to be completely forthright in filling out your application form, as full disclosure is very important; that includes indicating your past actions/decisions, which we will review and take into consideration when looking at your application as a whole.

Where do I get my vision and hearing exams completed?

You will need to get your Vision Report completed by an accredited ophthalmologist or optometrist. Your Hearing/Audiometric Report will need to be completed by an accredited audiologist or audiometric technician. NWPD does not have a list preferred professionals for you to choose from so please visit a professional in your local area.

I had an eye and/or hearing exam completed with another department. Can I submit the other department’s forms with my NWPD application?

We require the NWPD eye and hearing forms to be completed and submitted with the application. However; if you had your exam done within the past six months (of you submitting your application) we would accept your results if they fall within that time frame. You just need to take the NWPD forms and have the doctor complete them with the exam results from within the last six months.

Does NWPD pay for the JIBC Police Academy tuition?

No, we do not; the recruit is solely responsible for the tuition.

The tuition fee for Police Academy is due on the first day of Block I. The JIBC is an accredited post secondary institution and your tuition is tax deductible. NWPD offers its recruits interest free loans to cover the expense of tuition for Police Academy. We also cover text book costs and provide our recruits with the majority of equipment they will require during their training.

Does NWPD offer payroll deduction of the JIBC Police Academy tuition?

No, we do not. However, we do offer our recruits an interest free loan through a local financial institution to cover the JIBC Police Academy tuition.

If I am successful and hired, when do I begin getting paid?

If you are successful in the recruitment process, your first day with NWPD, the day you would be sworn in is the day you begin to receive pay. Typically, if time allows, we have our recruits begin one week prior to the start of Police Academy.

Can I join the NWPD and immediately begin in a specialty section or secondment (eg. Dog Squad, Forensics, Major Crime, IGTF)?

Once you have graduated from Police Academy, you will be assigned as a member of Patrol. In order to apply for a specialized section or secondment you have to have reached the First Class Constable rank. This is to ensure that you are competent in all areas of general duties policing prior to moving into a specialized section or secondment.

I am currently not a Citizen of Canada; can I still apply to NWPD?

In order to submit an application with NWPD you must be a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident of Canada.

What is the age limit for applying?

There is no age limit. The only age restriction is that applications must be at least 19 years of age.

Can I still apply if I am not a resident of British Columbia?

To receive our current status on hiring out-of-province applicants please contact our recruiting team recruiting@nwpolice.org