Applying to be a Peace Officer

As a Peace Officer with Calgary Transit you will play a vital part in maintaining the safety and security of all Calgary Transit employees, customers, and infrastructure. You will be a highly visible point of contact, providing information and reassurance by responding to crime and disorder on transit property.

Duties include:

• Provide customer service 24 hours a day to Calgary Transit employees, customers and citizens, by responding to calls for service and conducting patrols based on intelligence-based analysis.
• Enforce municipal bylaws and provincial statues.
• Respond to emergency situations and provide assistance to the public.
• Contribute to community safety by patrolling all transit networks, promote public safety and awareness on issues impacting customer safety.
• Prepare and give evidence in court: collaborate with and exchange confidential information with the Calgary Police Service and other law enforcement agencies.
• Maintain the integrity of Calgary Transit’s fare payment system.
• Act as an ambassador for Calgary Transit, by promoting positive relations with citizens and customers by providing information and assistance.
• Educate the public, employees, partner agencies and various other groups, including Calgary Police School Resource Officers and Community Resource Officers, on transit safety and security.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Share our values of integrity, equality, courage, accountability, honesty, respect, compassion, and teamwork
• Exhibit the essential behaviours of our organization and the City of Calgary’s 4 C’s
• Individuals with a high level of self awareness and emotional intelligence who are passionate about public service and community safety

The City of Calgary is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive and equitable workplace which is representative of the community we serve. We welcome those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. Applications are encouraged from members of groups that are historically disadvantaged and underrepresented.

To become a Peace Officer, you will first need to meet the minimum requirements for the job posting:

• 18+ years old.
• Legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Full Alberta class 5 operator’s Licence, or a provincial equivalent, with no more than six demerits and no charges or pending suspensions.
• A degree in Criminology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Physiology or a related field plus one-year related work experience OR
• A related completed two-year certificate or diploma and a minimum of three years of related work experience OR
• A High School diploma or equivalency (e.g. GED) and a minimum five years of related work experience
• No criminal convictions and be eligible for a community peace officer appointment. An extensive security background check is conducted by the Calgary Police, including a 10-year history review.
• Training or certifications in conflict resolution, mediation or negotiation are considered assets.
• Applicants must possess strong interpersonal skills with the demonstrated ability to resolve conflict with their peers as well as members of the public, make decisions effectively in often high stress or dynamic situations, build strong partnerships within the community and ability to follow clearly-defined policies and procedures.
• Experience or training working with the unhoused and vulnerable population is considered an asset. This includes individuals who may face an increased risk of victimization due to physiological, behavioural, or environmental factors.
• Customer service experience as well as education or work experience within the areas of law enforcement or the justice system are also considered assets.
• Ability to work a 24-hour shift rotation
  • 40-hour work week requiring rotating day and night shifts
  • Including weekends and holidays
  • Shifts are 11.5 hours with start times of 0500, 1500 and 1830 hours
• Ability to work outside in all weather conditions
• Successful completion of a provincially recognized Fitness Test within the provincially recognized timeframe, options include:
  • Physical Ability Requirement Evaluation (PARE)
  • Alberta Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police Officers (APREP)
  • Police Officer’s Physical Abilities Test (POPAT)
  • Correctional Officer’s Physical Abilities Test (COPAT)

You are responsible for test scheduling and payment.

Calgary Transit is an accredited facilitator of the PARE fitness test certification. No test dates are currently scheduled.

To become a Peace Officer with Calgary Transit, there are multiple steps to the application process. Learn more below about how to apply, the interview stage, security clearance requirements and more.

How to apply

Submit your cover letter and resume online at calgary.ca. All City of Calgary jobs are posted here.

PDF format is recommended.

Applications are only accepted when there is a competition open. The recruitment process takes approximately 12 weeks to complete.

Fully complete each section of the application form including the competition number and position title. These can be found on the top of every job posting.

Ensure you include:

• Contact information including phone numbers and e-mail address.
• Education and training directly related to enforcement, public relations, community safety or interpersonal communications.
• Employment history with specific positions in law enforcement or security and/or a customer service role.

Once your application is graded, you may be contacted for a pre-screen interview.

Interview

If you are successful, you will move onto the panel interview phase. The panel interview uses The City of Calgary’s targeted selection method. The Peace Officer job posting lists several duties and qualifications that you will require to fulfill the duties of a Calgary Transit Peace Officer. Use this information to help you better prepare for the interview.

Arrive 15 minutes before your interview to complete mandatory paperwork.

You may be instructed to bring the following:

• Proof of education (original documentation)
• Driver’s Licence
• Social Insurance Number (SIN) card or other government issued identification
• A current (no older than 60 days) original (no photocopies) driver’s abstract from all jurisdictions that you have been a licensed driver in the last two years
• Minimum of three work-related references
• Fitness Certification
• Completed Personal Disclosure Form

Backgrounding and Security Clearance

You may be required to participate in an exhaustive security clearance and backgrounding process, which is conducted in partnership with the Calgary Police and RCMP Services. The process may require a review of your personal and professional history as well as the collection of fingerprints. Applicants will also be required to complete an extensive personal disclosure form and a polygraph test will be conducted.

We will conduct an in-depth reference and background check on each applicant reaching this stage. Drug and psychological testing may be required. All interviewed applicants will be contacted with the results of their process.

A written comprehension assessment may also be conducted.

Our training program is designed to provide trainees with the knowledge, confidence and skills to become peace officers. The training takes approximately 24 weeks to complete and covers a variety of topics.

What should I expect from the program?

Successful candidates will commence a 12-week, in-classroom training program. This portion of the training is Monday-Friday from 8-4 p.m. The classroom portion covers an intensive study of the law, authorities and defensive tactics for a community peace officer. Other components of the training program include:

• Regularly scheduled fitness training sessions
• Mental health training and awareness for yourself and the citizens you encounter
• Tactical Communication and de-escalation training
• Mock trials with the courts
• Experiential Learning involving ride-alongs in the field
• Drill and uniform inspections
• Defensive Tactics and Use of Force training and evaluations
• Progressive scenarios
• Report Writing and Notebook Taking
• You will also be required to obtain a City of Calgary vehicle proficiency and pass LRV rules training.

Practical demonstration, written exam assessments and homework assignments are given throughout the program. You will be working 10-hour days, on a rotating schedule of days, afternoons and nights, depending on the assigned team schedule. Peace officers are required to cover the system 24 hours a day.

Upon successful completion of the in-classroom training, new recruits will transition to the Officer Coach Phase of training. This phase is 12 weeks in length and is comprised of two 6 week rotations where the new recruit is paired up with a qualified Officer Coach who is trained to assist and support new officers in transitioning the skills developed in-class to practical and hands-on application.

You must complete all aspects of the in-class and field training process to be employed with Transit Public Safety.

As a Calgary Transit Peace Officer, you’re choosing a career of public service, helping keep our communities safe, where Calgarians can feel secure when riding our transit systems.

The application and training process is vigorous and requires full dedication. As a Peace Officer, you will require the same dedication. You will respond to and resolve diverse situations, prevent disorder and make sure everyone arrives home safely.

We have an agreement with the Calgary Police Service that allows us to process our own arrests.

Some of the work we do includes:

• Enforcing municipal bylaws, provincial statutes and Criminal Code offences.
• Conducting proof of payment checks on the C-Train system.
• Investigating complaints on transit system.
• Responding to emergency situations and helping the public.
• Problem-solving through social development and helping Calgary’s vulnerable population.
• Protecting transit customers and property; conducting preventative patrols on the C-Train system.
• Providing Calgarians in need transport to local social service agencies.
• Preparing and giving evidence in court; exchanging criminal and confidential information with the Calgary Police Service and other law enforcement agencies.

Every peace officer must be able to work shift work 24 hours a day, seven days a week – including statutory holidays.