Strathmore student attends first annual RCMP youth camp

Times Jr. Reporter

 

As the beginning of a newly annual event, Alberta’s RCMP recruiting team organized the first ever youth camp, which took place at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Academy in Regina, SK, Aug 15-19.

A group of 16 students from Grades 11 and 12 were chosen across Alberta on the basis of academic achievement as well as prior interest shown in a career of policing. 

“This group has the unique opportunity of experiencing life as a cadet even before they submit an application to join the ranks of the RCMP,” said Cst. Krista Woods, a member of the Calgary RCMP recruiting staff, who helped organized the Depot’s Youth Camp.

The training activities at the camp included drills, driver stimulator training, firearms, and police officer scenarios.

One of Strathmore’s recently graduated high school students, Jordan Maier, was chosen to be a part of the group of 16 which attended depot. Maier said that school counsellors Karen Harris and Karen Galandy had approached him about the camp.

“I thought it was pretty neat that I was one of the ones that got to be chosen, just because it’s little town Strathmore and I got to be chosen, no matter wherever you are its pretty cool,” said Maier. 

In describing the camp, Maier stated that, “anything the cadets do, we did,” and highlights on the daily police defence tactic classes (PDT) where they learned how to do things like take down suspects and how to properly handcuff. 

Maier also mentioned there was a lot of physical training and that the group, at one point, attempted the PARE test (which Maier said he passed), a mandatory physical test that all police officers have to go through. The group also went to the shooting range and were able to use real guns that didn’t shoot live ammo, just air cartridges which simulated the same recoil as Maier explained. But overall, Maier thought that the driving course was the most fun. 

As for what was the most challenging, Maier thought the room inspections were the most difficult.

“If your bed is not folded right, if it’s got some wrinkles in it, they come in and toss your bed, they flip it over, and if your clothes aren’t folded right, and if they’re wrinkly, they’ll throw them all on your bed, and our rooms got tossed twice,” said Maier. 

Despite the camp’s challenges, the effect on Maier has been nothing but positive.

“Being there actually made me want to become a cop even more and look at the RCMP even more, because I know so much more about the organization now,” said Maier. 

Maier hopes to attend school for the next two years and plans to apply for the RCMP after he gains some more life experience, which the organization highly recommends to all.

“It was an all around good experience and I got to take a look at the RCMP,” said Maier.