Canadians’ interest in joining their country’s storied national police force has tanked, with applications down by almost half since last year, and a third of recruits backing out of training before they finish.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, National Police Federation President Brian Sauve told parliamentarians at the Commons human resources committee that a decline in applications is projected to continue.
“Policing is no longer considered as attractive a career as it used to be. Police services across North America are seeing a decline in applicants,” said Sauve. “For perspective between April and December 2021 the RCMP had received 6300 applications. When looking at the previous fiscal year the RCMP had received close to 11,800 applications. This shows a decline of almost 47 percent. In addition the RCMP is projecting an even further decline in applicants.”
Not only are applications to join the RCMP down, but a third of those who are accepted for training back out from the process completely before they become uniformed officers.
“We are losing one in three before graduation. I feel policing is being unfairly spotlighted. We support and protect every Canadians’ right to be treated fairly and equally. In return we ask for respect and fairness for our members who put their lives on the line every day,” Sauve told MPs in 2020.
“We are hearing more cases of members being yelled at, confronted, spat on and assaulted while on duty. This is unacceptable. All Canadians should be free from harassment and assault including those on the front line.”
The decline comes after policing across North America has been painted in an increasingly negative light by Black Lives Matter and other anti-policing movements.
In 2020, there were calls throughout Canada to defund police forces citing incidents of police brutality and racially charged violence.
In Toronto, Mayor John Tory proposed 80 different reforms to defund the Toronto Police Service in the wake of ongoing George Floyd protests.
Although fewer people are deciding to become police officers, cities including Toronto are plagued with violent and gang related crimes.
Toronto has already seen 18 homicides this year – matching the homicide rate of 2021. 30% of those incidents were shootings.
News of a declining interest in law enforcement also comes in the wake of the Freedom Convoy protests, which saw a joint force of municipal, provincial and federal police crack down on peaceful protesters in Ottawa after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act.
The never-before-used legislation also allowed the RCMP to investigate donations to the convoy as potential terrorist funding.
