Careers with the Police Service
> Police Constable:

RECRUITMENT STATUS

* RECRUITMENT STATUS - OPEN
Inexperienced Officers: (updated October 8, 2007)
Medicine Hat Police Service is now accepting applications for "Inexperienced Officers." Recruiting is currently OPEN and the present process will close on December 31, 2007. Applications will be reviewed at that time and processed. The next Recruit class will start training in May 2008.

* RECRUITMENT STATUS - OPEN
Experienced Officers: (updated January 8, 2007)
The Medicine Hat Police Service is actively recruiting experienced Police Officers to fill vacancies throughout the year on an as needed basis. Testing will occur on an intermittent basis when a sufficient number of applicants are received to facilitate a process. Application forms are located below.

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RECRUITMENT INFORMATION:

Joining the Medicine Hat Police Service means embarking on a demanding, challenging, and rewarding career.

Police Officers are frequently called upon to fulfill a wide variety of roles during the course of their duties. These duties range from law enforcement and criminal apprehension through traffic control, domestic arbitration and crime prevention.
It is a profession that means a new way of life in serving the community in a truly meaningful role that is both challenging and rewarding.

The Medicine Hat Police Service, a great future career in excellence, service, and personal growth.

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BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPLOYMENT:

The Medicine Hat Police Service is looking to select individuals who have knowledge, abilities, skills and personality traits that are a necessity for being a good police officer.

An applicant for employment with the Medicine Hat Police Service must be of good character, possess a high degree of personal judgment and integrity and have demonstrated a commitment to community service. Intelligence, sound judgment, maturity and common sense are essential. Post Secondary education in the humanities, justice, administration, the sciences, or related experience is an asset.

APPLICANTS MUST:

• be at least 18 years of age
• be a Canadian Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident
• be in excellent physical condition
• possess a valid operators license with not more than five demerit points
• have no criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted
• have no criminal charges pending before the courts
• possess a Grade 12 Diploma by Alberta Standards or equivalent, plus two years of post secondary education or two years of continuous full time employment
• meet hearing standards (see application for specific details)
• meet visual acuity standards (see application for specific details)

NO LONGER REQUIRED:

• a valid Certificate in Standard First Aid - minimum 16 hour course, approved through Provincial Occupational Health and Safety
• a valid Level C Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certificate
• if the applicant has either of these Certificates, they can send them with the application, if not, the Medicine Hat Police Service will train to this standard before sending the Recruit to Training.

DISTANCE VISION:

• Minimum for those not requiring visual aids:
  At least 20/40 (6/12) with both eyes open

FARSIGHTEDNESS:

• The visual acuity score recorded above should worsen when the special glasses are worn
• No change from the visual acuity measured above denotes unacceptable vision.

DEPTH PERCEPTION:

• Stereo acuity of 100 seconds of arc or better.

COLOUR VISION:

• Pass Farnsworth D–15 without corrective lenses.

LATERAL PHORIA " Far":

• In excess of 5 ESO or 5 EXO.

LATERAL PHORIA " Near":

• In excess of 6 ESO or 10 EXO.

PERIPHERAL VISION :

• Stereo acuity of 100 seconds of arc or better.

CANDIDATES EITHER DO OR DO NOT POSSESS THE BASIC QUALIFICATIONS SET FORTH. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE TO ESTABLISHED STANDARDS.

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THE RECRUITING PROCESS FOR POLICE OFFICERS:

The Medicine Hat Police Service Recruitment process is a fair and equitable competition that results in the most suitable candidates being offered employment. Commencing with the application process, the duration of the selection process may last several months.

The selection process consists of a number of steps. Failure to meet the minimum requirements of any step will result in the disqualification of the applicant from further consideration for the duration of the selection process.

The Medicine Hat Police Service Recruitment Committee conducts an extensive investigation. Applicants are assessed throughout the selection process in an effort to ensure that only qualified candidates will be offered employment.
Applicants will be advised at the end of each stage as to whether they will be continuing in the process.

The amount of time required to complete all stages will vary. The Medicine Hat Police Service has implemented a staffing plan, which has identified the immediate need of recruitment of Police officers.

Applicants who have completed the entire process will be presented to the Medicine Hat Police Service Office of the Chief for their review and approval. These applicants will be designated as a pool of qualified recruit candidates.

Given the fact of the competitive nature of the process, applicants are not given specific counseling or advice on how to improve their chances in the future. The Medicine Hat Police Service is under no obligation to provide feedback to applicants.

STEP 1 - APPLICATION AND DOCUMENT REVIEW
Do not submit your application if you are not at least three years clear of any detected or undetected criminal activity, including, illegal drugs.

Applications that do not contain all completed documents will be considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Employment applications are screened to ensure completeness and that minimum qualifications have been met. If these requirements are met, the applicant may be scheduled to write the Police Applicant Tests.

Preliminary security and background checks will be completed on receipt of applications at the discretion of the Recruiting Unit.

Applications may be rejected at this stage even though basic qualifications have been met.

The Application package must include the following:

• Completed Application Form and included documents
• Completed Personal Disclosure Form

This Personal Disclosure Form covers every aspect of your life. The questions cover any detected or non-detected criminal activity committed by an applicant. The Medicine Hat Police Service is aware that people make mistakes, mature at different rates and change their behaviour from childhood to adult life.

Full disclosure must be made during this stage; any discrepancy between this document and the following polygraph examination may result in a lifetime deferral from the Medicine Hat Police Service.

• $106 non-refundable application fee has now been waived

Please mail or courier your application to:
Recruiting Unit
Medicine Hat Police Service
884 - 2 Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8H2

STEP 2 - PRELIMINARY REVIEW
A review of qualifications of each candidate by the Recruitment Committee will be conducted.

STEP 3 - WRITTEN AND PHYSICAL TESTING
A police officer must have a high degree of personal judgment as well as a high level of integrity. In addition, a good memory, intelligence, sound judgment, maturity, common sense and the ability to communicate using these qualities is essential. The Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Test will determine your competencies in these areas.
The Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT) is designed to assess one's ability to communicate in writing. The (WCT) Written Communications Test will no longer be given.

Applicants who have submitted applications packages meeting all minimum qualifications will be advised of upcoming written testing dates and location.
The Medicine Hat Police Service uses two written tests in the recruiting process:

• Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Test (APCAT)
  The APCAT is a two hour and 15 minute multiple-choice exam designed to test the applicant's cognitive abilities. No pre-study material will be provided. Applicants are given 30 minutes to study the material immediately prior to the exam.View sample APCAT test - 259kb PDF format

• Alberta Communication Test (ACT)
  This test will take approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes to complete. It is designed to assess one's ability to communicate in writing. It is a multiple-choice test covering three areas: (1) reading vocabulary; (2) spelling; and (3) English grammar. The (WCT) Written Communications Test will no longer be given.

• Testing Results
  Applicants will be notified of the testing results and successful applicants will be advised of the next step in recruiting.

Applicants who write the APCAT or ACT and are unsuccessful will not be considered for re-testing for three months from the date of testing.
Applicants who have successfully completed the APCAT and/or Written Communications Test with the Medicine Hat Police Service or other Police Service may be exempt from this step of the application, but will still be required to complete the Physical Testing component. Please indicate if you have been successful in your application document.

Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation (PARE)

The Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation (PARE) for Police Applicants is required to be completed in 4:30 min. The standards are the same for male or female applicants. The Medical Clearance form and Informed Consent form is required prior to taking the PARE.

Preparation for Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation: The PARE test is a rigorous test of physical ability. Applicants are expected to be in excellent physical condition before attempting this test. The PARE medical authorization must be signed by an examining physician.

The Medicine Hat Police Service Release form for the "Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation" may be administered and is used as a fitness guideline involving inexperienced recruits who will be attending Recruit Training.

Those attending Recruit Training will be required to complete the PARE test in 4:00 min in order to graduate.

View diagram of PARE here

STEP 4 - PERSONAL DISCLOSURE INTERVIEW
One sworn member of the Medicine Hat Police Service will interview the applicant. The interview will be approximately one hour in length. A further interview may take place if required.

STEP 5 - BEHAVIOURAL DESCRIPTIVE INTERVIEW
Five sworn members of the Medicine Hat Police Service will interview the applicant. The interview will be approximately one hour in length and will follow the Behavioural Descriptive Interview format. A further interview may take place if required.

STEP 6 - PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING AND POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION
A psychologist approved by the Medicine Hat Police Service will evaluate three completed psychological tests. Results will not be disclosed to the applicant.

A Polygraph examination forms a part of the recruitment process. A certified Polygraph examiner will administer the Polygraph exam and candidates will be advised of location and time of testing. Medical Examination Form to be completed on attendance at Step 4 or 5.

STEP 7 - VARIANCE OF STAGES
The recruitment Team may deem it necessary to alter the stages of recruitment testing to accommodate the completion of examinations in a timely fashion. This may be required to facilitate the candidates, members of the Recruitment Team or other circumstances, which may arise during the recruitment process. Applicants usually complete Steps 4 and 5 over a two-day period to accommodate those who are required to travel to Medicine Hat.

STEP 8 - BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION
A thorough background investigation will be completed on applicants who continue in the process. This will include, but not limited to:

• Reference and credit checks
• Criminal history and Police Information checks

Results of Medicine Hat Police Service investigations will not be disclosed and remain the sole property of the Medicine Hat Police Service.

STEP 9 – OCCUPATIONAL MEDICAL
Potential candidates must complete an occupational medical. An Occupational Health Physician must approve each applicant.

STEP 10 - SELECTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE TO THE POLICE COMMISSION FOR RATIFICATION
Applicants do not attend this stage. The Recruitment Committee reviews all files in the process and selects the most suitable and best qualified applicants. Applicants are advised by letter if they are successful or unsuccessful in the process.

Experienced police applicants are not required to complete the APCAT test. The remaining process does not change.

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OFFICER TRAINING:

A successful candidate will enter the Medicine Hat Police Service as a recruit. Basic Training lasts four months and is of no cost to the recruit. The basics in law, behavioral sciences, investigation techniques, firearms, and fitness are taught. The next 12 months are spent on probation, including three months in field training under the guidance of a field trainer.

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WORKING CONDITIONS:

First year salary begins upon entry into the Academy and increases by yearly increments on the anniversary of enlistment for the first four years. A police officers pay and benefits are the result of a contract negotiated by the Medicine Hat Police Association with the Medicine Hat Police Commission and the City of Medicine Hat.

The shift schedules are based on a 12 hour work day totaling 160 hours per month. The shifts are 7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and 7:00 P.M. to 7:00 A.M. Shift differential is paid for night shifts. Overtime is paid at double the hourly rate and court attendance while off duty is paid according to a special schedule in the working agreement. Annual vacation is given according to the years of service.

1 year = 3 weeks
6 years = 4 weeks
13 years = 5 weeks
22 years = 6 week

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BENEFITS:
Members of the police service enjoy a wide range of employee benefits.

These include:

• Competitive Salaries
• Basic Health Life and Dental Insurance Coverage
• Sick Leave Benefits
• Annual Vacation with Pay
• Paid Statutory Holidays
• Pension Plan
• Shift Premium
• Paid Court Attendance during Off Duty Hours
• Uniforms and Equipment are provided

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DOWNLOAD RECRUITING PACKAGE

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Individual files:
	Application Form - 264kb Updated 07-11-29
	Personal Disclosure Form - 290kb