No arm of the Federal government moves with any speed at all. Thank god the fire departments of this country are not under the control of the feds. But there has finally been a small amount of movement on my file.
The log jam was at the Red Deer Rural detachment. Back in mid June, my file was sent out in snippets to the various detachments aroud the country where I had lived and/or worked. I know for a fact that the last of my former employers and personal references had been contacted by RCMP members as of mid August. Except Red Deer Rural. My two former employers in that area had not been contacted until about a week and a half ago. Don't bother reaching for the calandar, I'll just tip you off - It's now November. I know, I sound bitter, but come on, having a file sitting on your desk for three months growing mildew is not a shining example of professional police work.
So what's next? Acording to Staffing Branch, now that they have my file complete, they call up Health services branch and ask them to jump my file to the top of their inbox. That gets me my admission back to the PARE test:
Yeah, the one that makes my lungs bleed. The good news is that the RCMP pays for this one, all I have to do is show up and run. I'm in much much better shape now than I was a year and a bit ago when I did it the last time. I ran a mile and a half this morning in 11 minutes flat, and I think I can find another 20 or 30 seconds in there somewhere. I also ran a 10km road race a week and a half ago in 54:36. According to some online running resorces, I think I am capable of a 7 minute mile, which is supported by my run this morning and how much I think I can find. Last time I did the pare, I was feeling pretty smooth for averaging a 9 minute mile. So my lungs are in better shape. Things are looking up for the PARE!
Now, once I get the PARE done, they shuffle the papers and decide if and when I'm going to Regina for Depot. My best guess? Early January.
In related news, I had been living with a premonition that I would be going to BC and the Lower Mainland area once I got in, because the proving of BC is desperately short of Mounties. It turns out that right now the RCMP has a deal worked out with K Division (Alberta) because Alberta is so desperately short on Mounties, that any Recruit from Alberta that wants to come back to Alberta is given a slot back here, somewhere. Much better for me, I mean I would like BC, but Lower Mainland on a rookie Constable's salary is pretty tough.
