Modernize training for new cadets

Update

• Equity, diversity and inclusion: The RCMP Management Advisory Board, through a training and education taskforce, engaged with Depot (Training Academy) to review various aspects on equity, diversity and inclusion in the Cadet Training Program for police officers. Depot has since outsourced an external end-to-end review of the program.
• Field coaching: The Field Coaching Program and course are also under review. Most recently, an evaluation was completed of the program, aimed at understanding its strengths and limitations and determining if it is meeting its purpose and objectives. The results will inform an upcoming needs analysis of the entire Cadet Training Program.
• Use of cell phones: As part of Depot's ongoing commitment to modernization, the commanding officer announced updates to the cadet cell phone regulations. A pilot project was conducted with recently graduated troops. The results showed positive impacts on cadet safety and well-being. The regulations reflect the importance of the learning environment at Depot that includes limiting distractions in class and providing mechanisms to facilitators to mitigate cell phone misuse. They emphasize situational awareness and guide cadets on proper times and places that cell phones can be used.
• Cadet Training Program laptop transition: Cadets are issued a laptop while at Depot. Delivering the Cadet Training Program by using laptops provides cadets with the flexibility to access materials at their convenience, brings interactive content to the forefront with videos, quizzes, and simulations that make learning more engaging and helps with knowledge retention. Additionally, laptops encourage collaboration via shared documents and MS Teams; thereby, creating a dynamic community learning environment. Deploying this technology allows for future technological refinements to the program.
• Indigenous mapping exercise: Depot (Training Academy) has partnered with the RCMP Heritage Centre for the provision of a three-hour workshop on an Indigenous mapping exercise. The workshop aims to educate and engage the RCMP cadets on the history, culture, and perspectives of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, as well as to foster mutual respect and understanding. The Heritage Centre comes equipped with fresh perspectives and specialized expertise that enhances the workshop's quality and relevance. They provide an objective viewpoint, free from potential internal biases, which leads to a more balanced and comprehensive workshop experience.
• Conducted energy weapon (Taser 7) training: The integration of the TASER 7 - Conducted energy weapon user course into the Cadet Training Program is now complete. As of April 2024, newly-graduated police officers who have completed the requirements will arrive at their detachments TASER 7 trained.
• Rewrite of Module 6 of the applied police sciences: This updated module focusses on cell block procedures, strip searches, hate motivated crimes, trauma informed approaches, the 2SLBGTQIA+ community and the RCMP Code of Conduct. The cadets attend a presentation by Victim Services, an external partner whose role is to assist victims of crime. This module allows cadets the opportunity to review operational policy regarding the care and handling of prisoners.
• Rewrite of Module 7 of the applied police sciences: This module provides cadets with an opportunity to review policies relating to intimate partner violence. Cadets will review the victim assistance policy focusing on proactive referrals, as well as the policies on child abuse and crimes against young persons and violence/abuse in relationships. Cadets attend a presentation by an outside resource of experts that may include a victim of intimate partner violence, a family services representative, and a safe house counsellor or victim services worker that covers the emotional impact of intimate partner violence on the victim, the appropriate emotional support that can be provided by police, the importance of safety plans, when the police should refer victims to other services and the role of various agencies in the process. In addition, this module further enables cadets to recognize behaviours that indicate someone is living with a disability and be able to differentiate them from those that are criminal behaviours.
• Electronic filing system: In an effort to modernize Depot and enhance the delivery of the Cadet Training Program, an electronic file management solution is essential for effectively tracking and maintaining cadet training files. It is anticipated that a pilot of this program will begin fall 2024 with onboarding onto the new system in early 2025.
• Well-being services at Depot: A team has been put together to deliver wellness services, which includes a social worker; cadet resource liaison, equity, diversity and inclusion positions and an Indigenous advisor.

Update

The Cadet Training Program (CTP) recently updated the Emergency Vehicle Operation Pursuit curriculum. These updates have been accompanied with actual in-car police footage from the RCMP across all Divisions.

Updates have been made to the curriculum for the time management session, where cadets discuss time management and the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between different activities. New sessions have been added on intercultural competence; new unconscious bias scenarios will be added later this year. These are being added in consultation with Dr. Lois James, an expert in bias in policing. Resilience training is provided to Cadets in the Cadet Training Program as part of the Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) study. Facilitators also receive this training.

Police defensive tactics training has been updated to provide effective techniques that reduce risk of injury to both police and clients.

The Cadet Training Program and Recruit Field Training curriculums are currently undergoing end-to-end reviews conducted by an external consultation group for equity, diversity and inclusion, to remove outdated practices and ensure that the content is reflective of contemporary realities.

Update

The CTP is continually updated to reflect valuable insights from assessments, evaluation processes and changing public expectations.

The recently updated cadet curriculum now includes more training on harassment and violence in the workplace, unconscious bias and anti-racism. New training on character leadership and informal conflict management are now being delivered as part of the CTP, as well as updated police defensive tactics training.

The implementation of many recommendations from the National Program Evaluation Services review concerning the paramilitary aspects of cadet training are complete. The remaining recommendations will be addressed by September 2022.

The RCMP Management Advisory Board's Training Taskforce is also conducting a comprehensive examination of the CTP, and recently conducted an on-site visit. The taskforce will release a set of recommendations later in 2022.

Update

Over the past year, numerous assessments and evaluation processes have been conducted to ensure the CTP curriculum is updated for current needs.

In fall 2021, members of the external RCMP Management Advisory Board (MAB) Training Task Force started a comprehensive examination of the CTP to ensure that revisions, additions or deletions made to the program and its curriculum are based on evidence and research, essential to the high level of accountability required for police training.

Recent assessments conducted include a Gender-Based Analysis Plus review of materials and an external review of the curriculum's legal material. A review of the RCMP Depot para-military training environment and culture is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021. An assessment of the CTP curriculum and Field Coaching Program are also underway to evaluate the formal and informal training methods, and how they reflect current requirements and needs of front-line police officers.

The new CTP will launch in 2022/23 based on results and recommendations from these review processes.