The Peterborough Police Service has been shortlisted for an award at the 2025 Canadian HR Awards.
The service submitted a nomination in the Most Effective Recruitment Strategy category for its innovative approach to recruitment over the past 18 months. The Peterborough Police Service was selected as one of 11 nominees and is the only police service among those in the running.
The Peterborough Police Service recruitment strategy focused on three key areas:
- Partnership with Fleming College – their Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Coordinator is bringing real world experience to the classroom
- Community Engagement and Inclusivity – Officers (many recent recruits) presenting to international students at orientation sessions
- The Shuttle Run Training Group
The Shuttle Run Training Group was developed in 2023 by the Peterborough Police Service in partnership with Fleming College and the Police Foundations Program, and is a safe space for potential prospects to test themselves on the physical requirements for policing. The Shuttle Run Training Group runs every Wednesday from September to June at the Peterborough Sport and Wellness Centre from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. During that time, participants can try one of two of the physical requirements for policing – the “Shuttle Run”/ beep test or the “Prep Test.” See the schedule for more details.
In 2024, the service also introduced a “Women’s Only Shuttle Run Training Group” to encourage more women to pursue a career in policing.
By offering these open opportunities to the public the police service hopes to encourage more people to consider policing as a career or even a second career and to engage with our recruitment team.
These combined recruitment efforts have allowed the Peterborough Police Service to:
- Establish a sustainable talent pipeline of well-prepared, resilient, and community-oriented officers.
- Attain full authorized staffing levels in the summer of 2024. The Police Service Board established the authorized staffing levels based on budget allocation. While this is not a static situation as it is impacted by leaves, retirements, and resignations, it was something that had not been achieved by the Peterborough Police Service in over a decade and happened at a time when police recruiting was in a crisis.
- Develop a new hire orientation and onboarding program.
- Be recognized in the September/October issue of the national policing magazine, Canada Blue Line Magazine, in the feature article “From Crisis to Solution: Navigating Police Recruitment in Canada.”
Award recipients will be announced on September 18 at a ceremony in Toronto.
