First DICE candidates graduate from Depot marking the success of the diversity program
By Mara Shaw
Careers
Things come full circle as Superintendent Darryl Dawkins presents DICE candidate Constable Joshua Michel with badge at cadet graduation ceremony at Depot, Saskatchewan.
Image by Jeff Harmon
February 13, 2025
Content
A career in policing is not always a straight path. For Constable Joshua Michel and Superintendent Darryl Dawkins, the intersection of their journeys highlights the importance of resilience and evolution at the RCMP. The Diverse and Inclusive Pre-Cadet Experience (DICE) program is not only opening doors for candidates like Constable Joshua Michel, but is also shaping the future of policing in Canada and beyond.
DICE is a recruitment and retention initiative focused on removing barriers that impact racialized and underrepresented groups who aspire to join the RCMP. The program provides an opportunity for eligible candidates with an interest in policing to receive mentorship from an officer and to take part in training sessions introducing them to RCMP culture. During the three-week training, candidates explore the Criminal Code and RCMP Policy, test their physical fitness through drills, and learn skills to help them apply and eventually integrate into a policing team should they successfully complete the 26-week Cadet Training Program. With its innovative approach to mentorship, diversity, and inclusivity, the program—launched in 2023 by Dawkins, and facilitated by program manager Sergeant Marianne Coulibaly and a team of mentors—is already garnering international attention.
Michel is the second DICE participant to graduate from the Cadet Training Program at Depot, the RCMP's training academy. Constable Ellie Wheeler was the first graduate in October 2024, followed by Michel just weeks later.
Dawkins, who presented Michel with his badge at the graduation ceremony, describes the moment as the highlight of his career. "It was meaningful for me because I saw myself in Constable Michel. I reflected on how far I've come over the last 20 years, to now be placed in a position where I'm presenting badges," says Dawkins. "I was humbled and honoured."
A second chance
Michel, who is from Ottawa, says he was drawn to policing from the age of 15, after completing a career workshop in school. He later began his pursuit of the RCMP, but after receiving an initial deferral from the regular-member application process, Michel says the DICE program gave him a second chance.
Michel credits the DICE program for honing his leadership skills. During his experience he served as "right marker" for his troop, a leadership role he would later carry into his cadet training at Depot. The program both prepared him for the Depot training and gave him access to strong mentors across all ranks—an opportunity Dawkins says was missing from his own early career with the RCMP.
"I didn't have a mentor when I started, but I had troopmates who supported me. Mentorship is now a priority in DICE to help recruits navigate any challenges they may face," says the 20-year RCMP veteran. "It's something I wish I had when I was going through those initial stages."
Cornerstones of the program
Representation has been a critical theme of the DICE program. Dawkins, initially aspired to be the prime minister's bodyguard after meeting an RCMP officer in university. His journey has taken him on a different path, but a commitment to serve and protect still lays at the helm. Dawkins says this journey was not without barriers; some that he didn't fully recognize at the time, but it has now informed the development of the DICE program.
Since March 2024, Sergeant Marianne Coulibaly has managed the DICE program and its counterpart, the Diversity Retention Employee Advancement Model (DREAM), both under Dawkins' leadership. As part of the RCMP's Anti-Racism, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Secretariat, she works to ensure that diverse candidates not only enter the organization but, thrive within it.
She says the program's success is evident. The first bilingual DICE troop graduated in October, a milestone Coulibaly sees as a reflection of the RCMP's evolving identity.
"We've come a long way," says Coulibaly. "For me, being a woman, being bilingual, not being born in Canada were things that weren't celebrated [21 years ago]. Today we are better poised to celebrate people for who they are."
Coulibaly says her own experiences have drawn her to this work. Having faced pressures to conform early in her career, including cutting her dreadlocks to fit in at Depot, she is determined to ensure that today's recruits feel confident in their diversity.
Scaling for success
The success of the DICE program has sparked interest both within and outside of Canada. With over 1,200 applicants on its waiting list, the DICE team is working to scale the initiative by partnering with other training centers, such as the Pacific Region Training Center in Chilliwack, British Columbia.
International policing agencies, including those from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, have also taken note. The program was recently showcased at the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Boston, and at the Cross-Cultural Round Table on Security.
Looking ahead
DICE's model is one that attracts diverse candidates and sets them up for success. "This program is more than recruitment," says Coulibaly. "It's about building a ripple effect of mentorship, ally-ship, and understanding across the RCMP."
For Michel, the program's impact is personal and profound. "DICE helped me see that the RCMP is more diverse and welcoming than I expected," he says. "I would like to support the DICE program in the future. It's a program that I want to see continue."
As the RCMP continues to evolve, the DICE program is a testament to the power of representation, mentorship, and resilience—values that are shaping the future of the RCMP and policing across the globe.
