Conventional Officer
A civilian with a university degree, usually in criminology but not necessarely, and has been hired by a municipal police department, or by the Quebec Police Force ( Sureté du Québec). The civilian will then do an intensive college training in police techniques, followed by a special 13-week training session at the Quebec's Police Institute.
Collegial Officer
A civilian who did a 3-year college program in Police techiniques and has succesfully completed a 13-week training session at Quebec's Police Institute. This program is offered at John Abbott, Maisonneuve and Ahunstic Colleges to name a few.
Speciality training
All specialized training, such as radar operator, accidents investigations, crime scene analysis, fingerprinting, alcohol breath analysis, etc., are given at the Quebec's Police Institute.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police training
The RCMP trains all of its future police officers at its national police school in Regina, Saskatchewan. This military style training lasts 13 weeks. A candidate must have at least a general high school diploma, but preferences are given to those possessing college and university level education. A rigourous personnal inquiry is made on the candidate with family, neighbors and friens.
Furthermore, for the first few years, the new police officer will be sent everywhere BUT his/her province of origin, without possibility of voluntary mutation toward the province of origin.
Courrier/e-mailUpdated on 12 December 1998