CF experience relevant to RCMP, civ policing? (merged)

[Ducam]

Hello,

I have just been accepted to attend BMQ for July 15th as an Infantry soldier with the RCR.

I am only planning on doing my three years of service and then leaving to take what I have learned from the Army and applying it to law enforcement.

I am wondering what is the most I can learn in my three years following BMQ and DP1 (which from what I am reading is now called something else)?

The skills listed on the Forces.ca website show things like unarmed combat training and such but in my short time with the Infantry will I be able to learn much?

Does anyone know what the most I can gain in my three years?

I am highly motivated and already physically fit which I know are two good qualities when joining up and I know you are given an assessment at least once a year to see how you're doing. Can you climb the ranks faster than being promoted once a year?

 

[PMedMoe]

Promoted once a year?  Doesn't happen.  If you're only doing three years Reg F, you'll get out as a Private.

 

[Jacky Tar]

For pretty much every trade in the CF, your first promotion comes at 30 months of service, and the next at 48 months, though if you've met your trade progression requirements, the second one can be 'advanced' to as early as 36 months. That would make you a corporal at the 3 year mark.

 

[mariomike]

I am only planning on doing my three years of service and then leaving to take what I have learned from the Army and applying it to law enforcement.

You may wish to check with the Service(s) you are interested in joining about that.

For example.

Q: I am a current/past member of the military. Do I get special consideration?

A: Although we appreciate your service in the military, all current and past members of any military service will proceed through the Constable Selection System like any other candidate.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/careers/uni_faq.php#q28

 

[Ducam]

I know I'm not treated special by any means. I know I still have to go through all the regular hoops of ats testing and interviews but being a white male who only speaks one language I need something that sets me apart from other people applying to police Forces. Military gives me certain skills not obtainable by civilians.
30 percent of the people who apply to peel police have military on their resume. If you go on the Waterlo. Regional police website they have a bunch of officers with personal profile stories and three of them also served.
I'm just looking to get the experience and training.
I want to know how much training I might get.

 

[Jacky Tar]

The point is, you'll be trained to meet the Army's requirements, not yours. So you'll learn to be a soldier. There are remarkably few soldier skills which translate well to LEOs. Weapons? As a soldier you'll carry a C7; cops carry a pistol. First aid, yes; though I *think* police get more advanced first aid than the MSFA course. Physical fitness is important, though you've said you're already good in that department. Pretty much all the GSK subjects will be of no use, really - CF rank structure, the NDA, intro to QR&Os, SISIP briefings, etc. - pretty much all irrelevant. Topo, field living, and so forth also irrelevant to cops, though supremely important for a soldier.

Not trying to be negative or discouraging, but the above are some of the examples of why police forces don't really give much weight to prior military service. Now, if you were an MP and released from the CF, that might give you an edge.

 

[Ducam]

I'm looking at the discipline and life experience I can gain which will make me look more competitive when I apply. I know most of the training won't be of any use as a cop but things like weapons training, unarmed combat and tactics can be carried over into policing.
Etf squad, sniper squad, even going into a dangerous situation like a drug raid or weapons raid I can take what I have and apply it. It is just more training that the police won't need to give me.

 

[Sig_Des]

I'm looking at the discipline and life experience I can gain which will make me look more competitive when I apply. I know most of the training won't be of any use as a cop but things like weapons training, unarmed combat and tactics can be carried over into policing.
Etf squad, sniper squad, even going into a dangerous situation like a drug raid or weapons raid I can take what I have and apply it. It is just more training that the police won't need to give me.

You're looking at it wrong. The police will STILL have to give you their training. Because ours and theirs are NOT the same. Different aims. Will you develop skills and mentalities that may help you in a LE career, yes. But they won't look at your file and say "We won't need to train him in this because he did it in the army."

3 years in? You'll have some Basic CQC skills, but they'll still need to train you in theirs. You'll be familliar with weapons, but they'll still need to train you on their procedures and weapons platforms. You'll be able to do drill. You'll be able to sweep the hell out of a floor. If you get pegged as a driver, you'll be able to operate and maintain vehicles, maybe armoured vehicles. They'll still need to teach you their driving methods.

See where I'm going with this? The army will teach you how to use certain tools. The police may use similar tools, but different enough that they'll still have to teach you how to use theirs.

Is military experience an asset for LE? Sure. Is it the end-all be-all to get picked up? Nope.

 

[Ducam]

I know what you mean. Yes I'm aware that I still need to be trained in the policing ways and platforms.
Will they look at me as see a long list of things the military has trained me on and say hey this is great I think we can build upon this and make him a good police officer?
Yes I think I increase my chances. No it isn't the be end all of training or experience but it's training and experience with pay.
And something civilians can't get

 

[Jarnhamar]

I know what you mean. Yes I'm aware that I still need to be trained in the policing ways and platforms.
Will they look at me as see a long list of things the military has trained me on and say hey this is great I think we can build upon this and make him a good police officer?
Yes I think I increase my chances. No it isn't the be end all of training or experience but it's training and experience with pay.
And something civilians can't get

3 years in an infantry battalion?  You won't get much credit for that.  Police will be looking for life experience over army stuff.

 

[Ducam]

Well I'm doing well in that area as well.

I'm 27 with 6 years in security at a large retail mall in etobicoke, 2 years as a supervisor.

By the time I am 30 I should, everything goes well I hope, have 3 years of military on top of those as well.

The only way to get "life experience" is to live...which I am doing....right now....on this side of the computer...

(this is my attempt at humour which can be mistook as being an A Hole due to being read and not heard)

 

[Jarnhamar]

You should consider some college courses, maybe one of those social worker courses?  If I was interested in policing I would take a social worker course before I took police foundations.

 

[Cbbmtt]

When I applied to the RCMP, they were more interested in my knowledge of RCMP in the news, my back round check and volunteer work in the community. They never asked me once if I fired a weapon or had military service.

I think with what you have said, you should be able to get in now without going to the Forces.

 

[Ducam]

If you speak to any police recruiter they will tell you police foundations means nothing anymore!
I didn't take police foundations. I graduated college with general arts and science which doesn't count for much either bit I still went to school.
Most recruiters are frustrating because they talk in code and don't ever give a straightforward answer. Lol.
I've had a recruiter tell me that being a graduate of a business course and job experience as a manager of a retail store is just as good as what I currently have but I'm not cut out for the customer service of retail.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

I think with what you have said, you should be able to get in now without going to the Forces.

..without taking a position away from someone who plans on making a career of it.

 

[Ducam]

My backround is tarnished with a single black Mark. I'm waiting for that to clear in one more year and then give myself more time in the military and then I will apply. I would apply now but I can't. The military took me so that's where I want my experience from. I'm done with private security. The world belongs to lawyers and insurance companies in the world of private security.

 

[Goodeman]

..without taking a position away from someone who plans on making a career of it.

+1. No offence.

 

[Ducam]

no offence taken.

I plan on doing the required three years to serve my country and what I can take away from it in life experience is simply a plus.

Getting back on topic though, can I expect to get any of this training during my three years

Basic Parachutist

Mountain Warfare
Instructional Techniques
First Aid
Rappelmaster
Unarmed Combat
Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence
Urban Operations

 

[Cbbmtt]

My backround is tarnished with a single black Mark. I'm waiting for that to clear in one more year and then give myself more time in the military and then I will apply. I would apply now but I can't. The military took me so that's where I want my experience from. I'm done with private security. The world belongs to lawyers and insurance companies in the world of private security.

So you are already in the military? Or have you just applied?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Ok, question. 

Do you think you are joining the CF for the right reason and with the proper motivation?

I don't think you get how life will be.  When you've been up for X amount of hours, or days, and it is 0 Dark Stupid in the morning, and it is cold enough that you can't start a 2 burner stove without a lot of effort, and you can light it anyways because of light discipline, and you can't fire up a smoke (same reason)...are you going to say "hell ya!  this was smart because, as a cop in a few years, this night will REALLY benefit me lots".

Just something to think about...

Now, to throw something else in;  lets say you blow a knee out.  Now you're posted to the JPSU (holding unit for ill and injured) doing 'light duties' because you're on a TCAT (restricted duties and employment) for 6 months while you heal...how's morale now?

I'd say you need to rethink this commmitment of serving and especially something like Infantry.  The reality of that type of life is something you need to be really ready for and want, IMO, or that reality might see you tapping out when ~this sucks!!! ~ starts to happen, you go to reach down for that 'something' that everyone has to reach down and muckle on to at some point (pride?  motivation?  whatever) and...there's nothing there but a dream to be a cop in X months.

:2c: