New recruits sought by Ottawa Police Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday May 9, 2022    10:50am 

(Ottawa) – The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) will be hiring 80 new sworn officers in 2022 to support the Service’s mandate as it faces retirements and other staffing needs. 

A key focus of our hiring efforts will be to attract a talented cadre of candidates with diverse skills, abilities and experiences. In a continued effort to be more reflective of the diversity of the communities we serve, our outreach strategies will be designed to encourage increased applications for female, Indigenous, and racialized candidates. 

“Policing is a very rewarding career, one where you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the residents of Ottawa, every day,” said Interim Chief Steve Bell. “The goal of our recruitment efforts is to build a talented, inclusive and professional service that is more reflective of our community. If you are interested in joining us, this is the year to apply, and I encourage you to reach out to our Recruitment Team to help guide you through the process.” 

To support this initiative our Outreach and Recruitment Team will be hosting the following information sessions: 

• May 11 – Women’s-focused recruiting section with a female panel at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• May 15 – Recruiting session at the Sikh temple at 25 Gurdwara Road from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• May 17 – Visit us during Police Week at the Pinecrest Recreation Centre, 2250 Torquay Avenue, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• May 18 – Visit us during Police Week at Elizabeth Manley Park, 1261 Blohm Drive, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• May 19 – Visit us during Police Week at Jules Morin Park, 400 Clarence Street, from 4 to 7 p.m.
• June 8 – Monthly Recruiting Info Session, live on Instagram, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

 The Recruitment Team is also offering a mentorship program to interested candidates to prepare them for the application process, with a separate women-focused mentorship program launching in May to provide support for women to be successful. 

“Ottawa is a culturally diverse city, so it’s important that we are hiring new recruits that are not only qualified, but also reflect the communities we serve and protect,” said I/Chief Bell. “And it’s equally important that we have made needed changes so that all individuals we hire for their unique skills and abilities that they bring to the Service can succeed and thrive within our organization.” 

In alignment with the OPS’  Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, the Service has recently reviewed its hiring process to identify gaps or barriers to more inclusive hiring, and has made significant changes to the process. The goal is to hire a qualified, more diverse membership that is reflective of, and sensitive to, the pluralistic and multicultural character and composition of Ottawa in order to better respond to the needs of our community. 

In 2020, the December graduation class of 48 new recruits was the most diverse in the Service’s history with 40 percent women, 50 percent identifying as a member of a racialized group, and 6 percent identifying as Indigenous. Additionally, many of the new recruits had achieved college or university degrees, and as a collective, speak over 20 different languages. To-date in 2022, we have hired 13 new officers. 

For more information, please visit our website at: ottawapolice.ca, or email our Recruitment Team at RecruitmentTeam@ottawapolice.ca. 

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