Premier Doug Ford says offering free tuition and expanding enrollment for basic police training will help address a shortage of officers
The province is looking to recruit more police officers.
Premier Doug Ford has announced the province is removing fees for the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College.
"Ontario is grateful to the thousands of brave women and men who serve as police officers across the province, keeping our communities safe," said Premier Doug Ford. "To push back the growing tide of crime in our communities, we’re urgently getting more boots on the ground. That’s why our government is making the path to becoming a police officer as open as possible, expanding enrollment at the Ontario Police College and covering 100 per cent of the tuition cost for Basic Constable Training."
The elimination of the tuition fee for the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College will be retroactive to January 1st, 2023, so trainees who paid for their course earlier this year will be reimbursed.
As well, the program will increase the number of recruits from 480 to 550 per cohort.
Starting next year, the program will have four groups instead of three.
The Ontario government also plans to introduce legislation that would scrap the requirement for post secondary education for police recruits.
Ford says police chiefs have told him they're seeing a rise in major crimes, but are struggling to get new recruits.
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