I got some of my application back from the mounties the other day. I did not fill out the security clearance form to their satisfaction. I neglected to put the street address on for an employer and a camp in a town (Norman Wells NWT) where nobody uses addresses and similar type of things. I called the Norman Wells detachment and asked them for the addresses I needed. Of course they were happy to help out, but when they looked them up on the computer (they just know where the locations are, why worry about addresses??) the stupid thing started to chug and took forever to come up with an answer. The Constable I talked to told me that when you press the enter key, the query and response travel by dogsled! Hey, it's a government computer, why should they be fast either? Two typed pages and then it was back in the mail. It is going to be three more months before it is actually looked at with serious intent - I have that time line form the recuiting branch Constable I talked to the other day. Once I have my laser surgery next week I am officially on hold for three months, not counting the interviews.

I also got a letter from them at the same time saying I had advanced to the interview stage. I now have to get ready for the structured interviews sometime in the not too distant future. The preparation is pretty severe in itself, Those and the polygraph will get done in the time that I am on hold.


I also stopped by the detachment here in town and got the name of the Emergency Response Team (SWAT) commander, so I can ask him for the physical training standards that they have to meet - why just meet the basic requirements for Depot, when you can blow them out of the water?