Career Paths
You start as a constable or corporal. Everyone does. After about five years, you take all the things you learned in patrol or general duty and you can start specializing.
Or you can stay in patrol. It’s up to you. Police services have tons of different career paths and specialized units you probably haven't even heard of like Financial Intelligence, Officer Safety or Major Crimes. What it comes down to is you have the option to work in an area you’re really into. If you want a new challenge, work hard, prove yourself and doors will open for you.
Over the years, you move up in the ranks and the pay scale. It looks something like this:
- 1st to 5th Year – Constable to Senior Constable/Corporal
- Level 1 (8 years) – Sr. Constable/Corporal
- Level 2 (11 years) – Sergeant/Detective to Staff Sergeant
There are dozens of areas you could work in. Here are some popular ones.
Drug UnitDrug Unit members reduce and eliminate drug operations. How? They investigate, gather intelligence and exchange it with other policing agencies. Together, they suppress drug trafficking far beyond their own communities. Then, they work with outside partners and media to educate the public and prevent drug crime before it starts.
Major Crimes UnitThey're called major for a reason. Major Crimes Unit members investigate homicides, robberies, serious sexual offenses and more. It's up to them to put the most significant criminals in the community behind bars. Sound like serious business? It is.
Canine Unit/Police Dog ServiceCanine Unit members and their dogs support patrol officers and respond to calls involving tracking, criminal apprehension, area/building searches, evidence searches and narcotic/explosive detection. It takes a lot of training – both officer and dog – and only teams that meet the highest standards make it on the street. When they do, they’re indispensable.
Communications Section24 hours a day, the Communications Section evaluates calls made to the police complaint line, prioritizes them, then directs and controls the response of members on the street. They also link the police service, the public and other essential service providers. Basically, they make it all happen.
Flight Operations Unit/Air Services UnitThe Flight Crew safeguards ground officers and the public by safely managing pursuits and assisting with high-risk vehicle stops or incidents. They coordinate ground response, perform infrared searches for suspects and evidence, and illuminate crime collision scenes, search areas, and pursuits. Oh yeah – they operate helicopters too.
TacticalTactical members are trained to address high-risk incidents. They arrest dangerous offenders, execute search warrants, respond to chemical threats – you get the picture. They do it all with specialized equipment like armoured personnel carriers and bomb robots. Yeah, robots.
Traffic SectionTraffic officers promote traffic and driving safety. They create programs, communicate them to the public, and address important social issues like impaired driving. But they don’t just work behind the scenes. Traffic officers hit the streets to investigate serious collisions, manage traffic enforcement, and administer Checkstops and other drunk driving deterrent programs.
School Resource Officer UnitSchool Resource Officers are placed directly in schools. They create safe learning environments by balancing prevention, intervention, and enforcement. For many students, their school resource officer makes a positive impact that lasts a lifetime.
