In BC you apply to a municipal police department, not to the academy. The department hires you and pays you while JIBC trains you.
Steps from department recruiting pages.
When you can apply: Delta Police accepts applications from new police officer recruits and experienced officers at any time (source)
| Detail | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements · Minimum age | 19+ | source |
| Requirements · Citizenship | Canadian citizen or permanent resident | source |
| Requirements · Education | Grade 12; most departments require 30 post-secondary credits (VPD, Surrey, Delta) | source |
| Requirements · Licence | Valid BC Class 5, good driving record | source |
| Requirements · First aid | Standard/Intermediate First Aid with CPR C and AED (VPD) | source |
| Requirements · Vision hearing | Department vision/hearing standards (e.g. uncorrected 20/40 & 20/100, corrected 20/20; hearing <=30 dB 500-3000 Hz at WVPD) | source |
| Who hires | Each municipal police department hires; JIBC Police Academy trains | source |
| Hiring tests | POPAT: 4:15 or faster; results valid 6 months (Surrey) | source |
| Hiring tests | Written entrance exam: ETHOS police test (Saanich/VicPD 70%; VPD 3-hour handwritten exam, 60%) | source |
| Hiring tests | Psychological assessment, polygraph, background investigation, medical (VPD) | source |
| Training | Block I 13–14 weeks at the academy; Block II 18–21 weeks field training; Block III 8–9 weeks at the academy = Qualified Municipal Constable; Block IV at least 1 year field practicum = Certified Constable within 36 months. Ranges are shown because JIBC’s pages give different block lengths. | JIBC Police Academy · BC policing standard 2.1.1 |
| Where training happens | JIBC Police Academy, New Westminster | source |
| Cost to you | JIBC recruit tuition $18,378.00 (2025 rate), paid in full before Block I, non-refundable. Who pays varies by department: NWPD, Port Moody and VicPD recruits pay (VicPD via 3-year payroll recovery); Surrey covers most; Transit Police recruits pay a portion; others not published. See per-department provider rows | source |
| Starting pay | Range across departments $83,256-$100,392 (see providers) | source |
| How to apply | Apply to each department (see providers) | source |
Delta shows two figures: its live recruit posting (closes Jan 25, 2027) still says $85,464 (2024 rate), while its salary page says $93,780 (Jan 2026 scale). Both are noted below.
| Name and city | Program / status | Starting pay | Notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver Police Department Vancouver | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $93,690 probationary constable (1st Class $133,847 after 4 years) source | Grade 12 + 30 post-secondary credits; Standard/Intermediate First Aid; handwritten 3-h entrance exam 60%; POPAT 4:15; psych assessment; polygraph | Official page |
| Saanich Police Department Saanich | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $93,773.90 Probationary Constable I source | ETHOS test 70%; Standard First Aid CPR-C | Official page |
| Surrey Police Service Surrey | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $97,678.81 Fifth Class Constable (2027 rate, first year incl. training) source | 30 post-secondary credits; 3 yrs driving; POPAT <4:15, second failure = 6-month deferral; academy starts Jan/May/Sep | Official page |
| Victoria Police Department Victoria | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $89,661 starting source | POPAT and ETHOS 70%+; polygraph; also polices Esquimalt | Official page |
| Delta Police Department Delta | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $93,780 Probationary Constable (Jan 2026 scale) source | Live recruit posting (closes Jan 25, 2027) still states $85,464 (2024 rate); site salary page used. 30 post-secondary credits; POPAT. | Official page |
| New Westminster Police Department New Westminster | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $100,392 recruit/4th Class Constable (2026) source | Official page | |
| Abbotsford Police Department Abbotsford | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $83,256 Fifth Class Constable; $96,065 after academy graduation source | Official page | |
| West Vancouver Police Department West Vancouver | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $93,696 5th Class Constable (to Dec 2026) source | Policy: 19+, high school + 2 yrs post-secondary (or 1 yr + experience), POPAT 4:15, no wait for retest (policy PDF https://westvanpolice.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AB0030-Selection-Police-Officers-TOC.pdf) | Official page |
| Port Moody Police Department Port Moody | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $85,392 ($40.91/h) 5th Class Constable source | Official page | |
| Nelson Police Department Nelson | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | Listed on official registry: official registry (see source_url) | No recruit intake posted | Official page |
| Central Saanich Police Service Central Saanich | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | Listed on official registry: official registry (see source_url) | Official page | |
| Oak Bay Police Department Oak Bay | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | Listed on official registry: official registry (see source_url) | Official page | |
| Metro Vancouver Transit Police Vancouver (regional) | Recruit hiring Hiring employer | $92,253 recruit constable (effective Nov 14, 2025) source | Also requires 25 wpm typing certificate and CPR-C First Aid | Official page |
To a department. Each municipal department hires its own recruits, then sends them to the JIBC Police Academy in New Westminster.
4:15 or faster. Surrey says results are valid for 6 months.
JIBC Basic Recruit Training is Block I (13 to 14 weeks at the academy), Block II (18 to 21 weeks of field training) and Block III (8 to 9 weeks at the academy). We show ranges because JIBC’s own pages give different lengths. A field practicum of at least a year follows before you are a Certified Constable.
Published starting pay ranges from $83,256 to $100,392 across departments. Each department’s figure and source is in the table.
Oak Bay is not accepting recruit applications until May 2027. Nelson and Central Saanich are currently hiring experienced officers only.
This page relies on the official pages below. Rules, fees and processes change, so check the authority before you apply or spend money.
Links checked November 1, 2026. Found an error or a broken link? Report it.