Surrey Mounties will be recruiting and showcasing police work during an RCMP open house on Saturday, May 11.
The free, four-hour event is planned 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main detachment (14355 57 Ave., Surrey), with officers, staff and community partners present.
It’s a chance for people to learn about different policing tools, techniques and resources including police boats, dogs, bikes and vehicles, hands-on activities and some free food (hot dogs, chips, drinks).
“What’s significant this year that it’s 73 years that the RCMP has been in Surrey,” said Cpl. James Mason, media relations officer.
“We’re going to have a number of our integrated units from around the Lower Mainland and special investigative units here, both uniform and not, out here. It’s an opportunity to really showcase a very small handful of the 150 different type of career opportunities that the RCMP offers.
“We also get to celebrate our partnership with some of our sports teams,” he added, “so the Whitecaps and BC Lions are gonna be here as well, so that’s pretty exciting having kids interact with those teams too.”
The RCMP’s Air Services helicopter has flown at previous RCMP open house events in Surrey, but that probably won’t be the case this year, Mason noted.
“We’d hoped to have a rappelling demonstration but just resources what they are, we aren’t able to get confirmed attendance from them,” he explained. “It could be a last-minute type of arrival (of the helicopter). The emergency response team will be here with some of their toys, and explosives disposal unit will be here as well. We have lots of neat stuff for people to see.”
Attendees are encouraged to dress for the outdoors and bring a refillable water bottle for use at water stations.
Also Saturday (May 11), the RCMP detachment is hosting a career/recruiting session where people can start the job-application process to work with the Mounties in B.C., 10 a.m. start.
“That’s where people who have either attended the session before, or attended the session on Saturday, can fill out an application there with a recruiter to start the process for going to (RCMP) Depot,” Mason said. “That happens between 9 and 11, and the open house kicks off at 11. We’ll also have recruiters at the open house, talking with people who are interested in a career with the RCMP.”
Last year’s Surrey RCMP open house was held during the Musical Ride at Cloverdale Fairgrounds, and this year returns to the main detachment.