Timmins police officials say recruitment is a top priority
Timmins Police Chief Dan Foy, who was sworn in at the end of February, says one of the challenges he's working to resolve regards recruitment.
“We need to go out, do some outreach and recruit people in order to build the service and to make sure we have the right amount of resources and people to protect the public," said Foy.
He said the service is in need of seven officers, about half a platoon. He said modernizing some aspects of the job might help attract more people.
“Look at mobile work stations, look at body cams," Foy said.
"We are working as a team assessing what we can do to bring those tools to our services and that’s a priority over the next 12 months."
Marc Depatie, the police communications coordinator, is also a police foundations instructor at Northern College. He said enrollment in the program is robust, but said graduates are showing little interest.
“We’re at a point where we absolutely have to find out what is preventing people from applying to the police service," Depatie said.
"It has lost its lustre, it appears. There used to be a huge number of applicants for any one opening."
Police officials said they're also doing an internal check to find out how they can improve their recurring efforts, including eliminating any possible barriers during the application process.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.