Ottawa Police Service seeking ‘females, Indigenous, and racialized candidates’

The Ottawa Police Service is making a concerted effort to make its force look more like its community by hiring more diverse law enforcement officers and employees. The Service Tweeted on Tuesday that it was looking specifically for female and non-white new applicants.

“There has never been a better time to apply to the Ottawa Police Service. We’re looking for female or racialized candidates to help us better reflect the communities we serve,” reads the Tweet, which also provides a link to apply for employment. 

On its official website, the Ottawa Police Service does not specifically refer to female or non-white candidates, as it does in the Tweet. “The Ottawa Police Service continuously strives to deliver service that is effective and responsive to the needs of our evolving community,” the website reads.

“As such, we are looking for people of various, diverse backgrounds and experiences to complement our service as we strive to reflect the community we serve. Everyone who has a strong interest in becoming a sworn member of the Ottawa Police, and who feels that they meet the qualifications, is encouraged to apply.”

The Ottawa Police Service says it plans on hiring 80 new officers in 2022. “A key focus of our hiring efforts will be to attract a talented cadre of candidates with diverse skills, abilities and experiences,” police said in a statement.

“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 from females, Indigenous, and racialized candidates.”

Earlier this year, the Ottawa Police proposed its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, which aims to diversify the police department and address racial tension between the police and the community.