RCMP recruiter coming to Bow Island

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Ryan Dahlman

By Anna Smith
Commentator/Courier

This month, those interested in pursuing a life as an RCMP officer will have a chance to talk to a recruiter.

This stop is part of a province-wide effort, said Constable Kirby Erickson with RCMP recruitment. 

“Right now is an excellent time to get on. We are looking for approximately 600 brand new members just in Alberta,” said Erickson. “Right now, we’re going like crazy to get more recruits; we’ve added a lot more people to the recruiting team, and we’ve done a very aggressive advertising campaign as well. A part of that plan is just to get out in the community to as many places as possible and do these career presentations.”

There will be multiple events over December 10, with a more informal “Coffee with a Recruiter” taking place at Redcliff Town Office from 9–11 a.m., then Peter’s Restaurant in Bow Island from 2–4 p.m.

“The coffee one is a little bit more casual. It’s more for if even other people in the community have questions, they can come have a casual conversation; there’s always, you know, the family member, the mother or the father, the grandfather that wants to get information either for their kids or their grandkids,” said Erickson. 

The primary focus will still be on recruitment and the process of becoming a member of the RCMP, but Erickson adds that he will be open to fielding questions about what’s happening in the RCMP right now, or holding conversations.

Following these events, there will be a career presentation in the Bow Island Council Chambers from 7–9 p.m.

“The presentation itself is not two hours long,” said Erickson. “It’s more like one hour with an hour worth of questions. If we have that many questions, of course; I find if I have about 15 people in a room that all want to be police officers, we’ll fill up that hour, no problem.”

Erickson said that they’re hoping to attract people from all sorts of communities and backgrounds for the RCMP, as it can help form connections in the areas they serve that might otherwise be difficult for the detachments, and help them better protect and aid the people who live in the region.

The RCMP is looking for anyone over the age of 19 who may be interested, and looks forward to hopefully meeting many residents of the two municipalities and their surrounding areas.

“It’s absolutely a calling, and a desire to serve something bigger than yourself,” said Erickson. “I’m looking forward to coming to Bow Island, and I’m looking forward to coming to Redcliff.”