TPS board approves hiring of four more recruits

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After recently hiring five new cadets, the critically shortstaffed Timmins Police Service has taken steps to hire four more.

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TPS board approves hiring of four more recruits Back to video

“We received several applications and we’ve identified four suitable candidates to be hired and appointed as cadets recruited for training,” Timmins Police Chief Dan Foy told the police board last week.

Foy said he and Deputy Chief Henry Dacosta “had the opportunity to meet at various times and present offers to the candidates that were selected, and they are very excited, very eager to start with us and with their training.

“We recommend they all be hired and that if they are, they’ll commence their training with us at the service on Aug. 21st and will attend basic constable training at the Ontario Police College in September 2023.”

The board gave its approval.

With the five previous additions, TPS now has 84 officers – which is still 12 short of a full complement.

Foy told the board the five officers who recently graduated from the Ontario Police College will be “starting their in-house training and field training” this week.

TPS undertook an aggressive recruitment campaign earlier this year in an effort to attract more recruits.

The incentives announced in March saw TPS offering to cover the cost of tuition for any hired recruits completing their basic constable training at the Ontario Police College.

The Ministry of the Attorney General subsequently announced a similar incentive program on April 25th.

As part of its package of incentives, TPS also offered a $30,000 signing bonus to experienced officers with at least three years under their belt and offered to pay on a scale that would recognize their years of service, even if it wasn’t in Timmins.

Foy told The Daily Press they are in discussions with a couple of experienced officers, currently employed by other police services, who are thinking of signing on with TPS.

“We do have applicants that we’re processing and hopefully at the September or October board meeting, we can have some announcements on that,” said Foy.