When you see the RCMP in Red Serge, on the Musical Ride, driving around in their police vehicle, addressing the media, or volunteering at some event, you may feel like a proud Canadian. Have you ever wondered what journey brought them to your area?
When you join the RCMP, geographically, the organization owns you. One of the requirements is you must be willing to serve anywhere in Canada the RCMP places you. In honour of the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, I ask the public to understand the geographic challenges RCMP officers and their families are facing and how that impacts their well-being.
The relocation starts in Regina, the only place in Canada to train to be an RCMP.
The Training Academy may be the first time you have left your family of origin, the family you’ve created, your province or your territory. Not having physical access to loved ones or peers is a sudden loss of support and relationships. Regina’s extreme hot and cold weather and the dry climate can cause health problems. I remember recruits fainting from the heat while on the asphalt parade square. I recall people getting frostbite from the cold wind. People who came from a moist climate suffered from nose bleeds, sinus issues, allergies, dry, scaling, itchy, red, blotchy skin. This may impact your self-esteem, morale and sleep.
Life at the Training Academy (Depot) is regimented and stressful. During the training hours and the required extra learning activities, you are with a troop that initially is all strangers. Some will bond with you and others may not. Sharing a living space and being forced to do activities with 31 different personalities is a recipe for tension. If you are an only child, never shared a bedroom or bathroom or showered in a group, you may find this all disconcerting.
Language can be a barrier. If you are more proficient in one language, you can feel isolated if your mother tongue is not the spoken language of the troop, instructors or community.
The six months of training is your initiation to the RCMP and a taxing time with new experiences. I can still recall the staffing interview I had just before my graduation. It was meant to assist me in requesting my preferred locations. As I was bilingual, it was suggested I go to a French-speaking province or our only bilingual province. I agreed. In the end, I was the only person in my troop who did not get any of my three choices.
I have met many RCMP who have not been happy with their posting and others who have grown to love their detachments. Operational need dictates where you are transferred. Transfers and adapting to different personnel and communities are the norm.
There is a human and an organizational cost to transfers. Not everyone can adapt to uprooting, to connect with others, to make a place their home.
Much of RCMP policing is in rural areas, smaller towns or cities. The adjustment may be more difficult if you grew up in a city and are being posted to a rural area. Procuring adequate and affordable housing may be an issue. If sent to a limited-duration post, the lodging may be dated, substandard or shared with another officer.
If you have children, the schooling may not be what you desire. If you have had your child in a French immersion program, there may not be a posting available that offers this. I am also aware of people having children with special medical needs who are sent to locations where the child is at risk. This may result in the family moving to a city and the officer remaining at their posting. In the worst-case scenario, families disintegrate. The divorce rate where one partner is a police officer is almost twice the Canadian national average.
I have also witnessed the spouse not being able to find a job in their field, not finding a job at all or having no child-care facilities available. This may place a financial burden on the family as well as a loss of identity for the spouse without employment.
Children do not always adapt to the changes of a new school or area. They leave their peers, family and even pets to a new community where their extracurricular activities may not be available. This is a volcano waiting to erupt. The stress is high with often no services available to support them.
Many officers leave the RCMP as their family is more important. It may be the correct choice. However, this is also a loss of a career, possibly a lifelong dream for the officer. It is expensive to train a police officer, so it’s also a financial loss for the organization.
Change, moving, loss of relationships and being a peace officer are stressful. Life as an RCMP is about geographic transfers and change. Knowing you are going to have to move may help you think about where you may wish to go, search for realistic options, and prepare for the position or location. If you are in a relationship and/or have a family, talking about the future, sharing ideas/wishes and hearing each other’s thoughts will help you find common ground and work together towards successful relocations. You may not get what you want so it's necessary to be open to the opportunities of each posting.
I have found attending community events, and enrolling child/ren in any activity is a great way to meet people. Volunteers are always needed in any community.
Find something you can enjoy. Over the years I have met many people while walking my dog. Make time to be outdoors, learn new activities and have fun. Going away for a weekend or a holiday is also good for your wellness.
Once again, I ask the public to have compassion for our RCMP officers and their families who have come to our area to serve and protect us. Help them learn about the greatness of our community and the kind hearts of the people of Saskatchewan by inviting them to an event and making them feel a part of the community.
Canada is a beautiful country; Saskatchewan is a hidden gem of Mother Nature’s finest lakes and good people. It has been my home for 37 years; this is where I belong.
— Gertrude Maxwell is a retired RCMP.
