Provincial police offering virtual ride-along to attract recruits
The OPP is embarking on an “unprecedented” hiring spree, using social media and virtual ride-alongs to attract potential candidates.
“We will purposefully open the doors to the public, on a global scale, eliminate barriers to accessing what policing in the OPP is about, and invite the best qualified candidates to come serve our communities by joining a police service which is second to none,” said Insp. Bryan MacKillop, director of OPP recruitment.
The OPP said it will be on a hiring spree for the “foreseeable future” as it looks to replace hundreds of officers on the verge of retirement.
The police force said the situation offers a rare opportunity to enhance diversification and give people a taste of the OPP experience. They plan to do that with a “virtual outreach” through Twitter and Facebook.
It begins Wednesday with a virtual ride-along from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. The public will be able to follower an officer, from call to call, over Twitter.
On Feb. 10 there will be a “Breaking Barriers” live-stream with officers from different social and cultural backgrounds sharing experiences about their OPP careers.
On Feb. 17, Commissioner Vince Hawkes will give opening remarks to the live stream of a recruitment information session about what it takes to be a competitive candidate.
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