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IQALUIT
Hoping to attract more Inuit into its ranks, the RCMP invited 32 high school students from across Nunavut to Iqaluit May 11 to 18 for the force's third annual youth academy.

Marlene Ishulutak of Kimmirut learns how to use a baton to defend herself at the RCMP's annual youth academy May 13 in Iqaluit. - Casey Lessard/NNSL photo

"We're trying to accomplish a lot of things in one week," said V Division recruiter Cpl. Beryl Lewis. "We do want to hire people from the North to work for the RCMP, while trying to build stronger relationships between the students and youth within the communities with the RCMP. "

Beth Idlout-Kheraj, 18, of Iqaluit, attended the academy and believes it is effective in raising interest in a career with the RCMP.

"We don't really have a lot of Inuit RCMP officers, and it would be really good to have more Inuit a part of it because we're protecting our community," Idlout-Kheraj said. "We have to be more involved."

The academy is a partnership between the RCMP V Division, Canadian Forces Joint Task Force, the Department of Education and the RCMP Depot Training Academy in Regina, Sask. To give a taste of life as a police officer, a range of instructors and guest speakers gave instruction on physical fitness, law, basic officer safety principles and police defensive tactics.

"Everything's going good, but I'm very sore now," said Zachary Allurut of Arctic Bay. "We've been doing workouts and exercises. Every time we get wrong during the drills, we do push-ups. I thought it (police academy) was easy, but now we've been doing workouts and all that - now I know it's hard."

If, like Allurut and Idlout-Kheraj, the youth want to pursue policing as a career, they will have to continue to work hard. Simply to qualify, applicants need to be 18 or older, have a Grade 12 diploma (preferably with good grades), and have a non-restricted drivers' licence.

"There are a lot of people in the North who want to become RCMP police officers, but they don't meet the basic qualifications," Lewis said, noting it doesn't end with the basics. Her message is stay in school, and get fit.

"When they get into the application process, there are some hurdles there. Physical fitness is a big thing, so we're trying to incorporate that this week so they take it back to the community and make it part of their life so it's not a big deal when they apply."

The academy introduced "a lot of new experiences" for Marissa Kuniliusie, 16, of Qikiqtarjuaq. "I was so scared at first of all this because it's my first time. I'm having fun, meeting new people."

The week is just a taster of what youth might experience if they go to Regina, where Cpl. Steve Climenhaga trains new recruits.

"We have a drill corporal here from Regina, probably our best one, up here whipping these guys into shape," Climenhaga said. "We've been instilling a sense of pride in who they are and what they want to do in the future. We've been focusing on the core values of the RCMP: respecting each other, honesty, integrity, professionalism."

For Idlout-Kheraj, it was an important lesson to see what it takes to become a police officer.

"They have to go through a lot that I wasn't really aware of, a lot of stuff they learn and do outside of being a police officer," she said. "I learned a lot this week."

Still in its infancy, the academy is not expected to turn out Inuit officers yet because recruits need to be at least 18 and will likely want higher education first. But give it time, she said.

"We use it as a stepping stone for another program, the summer student program, where they come and work for us and with us for the summer months," she said. "In 10 years time, we're going to see big results from these programs."

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