A unique way for retired residents to support their community

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The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires was established in 1925. An interesting bit of history is that their origins date back to 1859, when former Crimean War veterans were hired to deliver financial and legal documents around London, England. Fourteen years after the first Canadian charter started, the Northern Alberta Division formed in September 1939.

The Commissionaires are one of the largest security services providers in the country and employ over 22,000 professionals in 1,200 communities. “A thriving and self-sustaining business, the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires is proud to deliver 94% of its revenues back to its veteran and non-veteran employees alike,” states the site www.commissionaires.ab.ca. Many of the employees who work within the Commissionaires were previously military or police veterans, enabling them to provide a strict level of dedicated service.

One of the many areas the Commissionaires hire staff for is the guard positions in RCMP detachments. These positions are typically casual and are most commonly scooped up by retired community members who have the time to devote to being on unpaid call and swing by without much notice. The Whitecourt RCMP is continually seeking applications for guard positions at the local detachment.

“It’s basically a retirement job because it’s part-time and on call. It’s for those in the community who want some extra spending money and to help us out when we have people in the cells,” explained Tina Prodaniuk, Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Town of Whitecourt and the RCMP Clerk. “We always have vacancies and are looking for people. People move or change what they want to do often enough.”

The process of working within the detachment is not quick, which is why they keep recruiting people. “Like any position in our office, it is a six-month security clearance, so it’s up to six months to get into the building.” Prodaniuk explained that the RCMP security check is more precise than a routine police check and takes longer to complete.

“They do a full, extensive background check which is the last ten years of your life, where you’ve lived and who the people in your life are. They do that so that we can trust each other when we are in this building,” she said. The importance of trust in an RCMP detachment cannot be understated. Though it takes significant time, getting into the building and working with the staff is enjoyed by those there.

“I’ve been here for fourteen years, and I think that the detachment, in its own right, is a great working environment. I can speak to the positions I hold in the detachment and say that we work great as a team. I think that once you are in the building, if you want to move around and do other things, there is the opportunity for that too,” said Prodaniuk.

Another bonus to working within the detachment as a guard is that the position is often transferable within the Commissionaires. “Depending on where you live, once you’re cleared, say you moved to Mayerthorpe, you could get a guard job there. If you’re interested in that, it’s one of those transferable jobs.” It’s not certain if positions can be transferred outside of the province, but the opportunity is there to bring the training elsewhere.

Applicants must be available to work evenings and weekends for shifts on a casual basis and be on call 24/7. They must be capable of working independently. The positions at the Whitecourt RCMP detachment are also open to those who live in Woodlands County, and having trained in First Aid and CPR are assets.

The primary role of guards is watching over the well-being of those in custody. “It’s about making sure that people are treated with respect and given the necessaries that they need. We can’t guarantee a certain number of hours each month. It depends on if they have people in the cells. They call people in when they are needed,” explained Prodaniuk. Those interested in applying can email christina.prodaniuk@rcmp-grc.gc.ca.