The North Bay Police Service is working towards bringing in as many as nine new officers in 2022.
In fact, Scott Tod, North Bay's Police Chief, says they hope to bring in as many as 14 new officers by 2023.
"We were very fortunate the board approved at the last board meeting the addition of nine new officers this year and five more next year," said Tod.
"The five more next year will all be through recruiting. Some of the nine we will be recruiting this year through our recruiting stream as cadets going to the Ontario Police College but we are really concentrating right now on four or five to be experienced police officers that can come to the service and hit the ground running and they can actually provide the level of work that we would expect from a seasoned police officer to assist us."
Tod says rhe high cost of living in southern Ontario is becoming a key recruiting tool for the North Bay Police Service.
"Most of the officers we are interviewing are coming from other police services or from the GTA area and they have expressed a desire to purchase a house locally in the North Bay area; that they are able to afford a house and they are able to find employment for their partners," explained Tod.
"They look forward to a lifestyle that North Bay has to offer in regards to the access to lakes or parks. Accessing remote areas where they can camp, fish, hunt, canoe and kayak. One of the officers we look forward to hiring talked about the bike trails and that he believes it is a real advantage he sees in North Bay."
Tod says most of the recruits will have some form of connection to the area.
"Either they went to school here which is really important for Nipissing University and Canadore College," he said.
"They have that school connection here or their partner is from here so it really has been great for the police service.
"Some type of connection to North Bay is very important but that said we are still open to members from any other police service who would like to come to North Bay and take advantage of our style of life; the way we live in North Bay without having a connection here at all."