Special Constables are civilian employees appointed by the Police Service Board and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services. Their appointment allows them to have some use-of-force options, some police officer powers, and the status of a peace officer.
Special Constables play a critical role in in the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service, carrying out important duties such as prisoner management and transportation, forensic identification processing, and community support.
Prisoner Management
Courthouse Safety
Serving Justice
Forensic Identification
Officer Support
Community Safety
This isn’t just a job. It’s a commitment to taking on big responsibilities. Whether you’re managing vulnerable people in custody, ensuring security in our courthouses, or assisting with community safety initiatives, this is a career where character matters.
The people who thrive as Special Constables share a few key traits:
Respect for Others
Compassion
Strong Sense of Duty
Empathy
Clear Communication
Team-First Mindset
Steady Under Pressure
Honesty
Dependability
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service offers competitive wages and great benefits. Part-time members are eligible for benefits after accumulating 1,650 hours in a calendar year.
| Level 1 | $74,129.12 ($35.64/hr) |
| Level 2 | $80,572.96 ($38.74/hr) |
| Level 3 | $87,580.48 ($42.11/hr) |
Extensive health benefits
Paid vacation
Paid sick/casual days
Shift premiums
OMERS pension plan
Life insurance
Clothing allowance
Support of continuing education
Employee Assistance Program
Our friendly Uniform Recruitment team is here to answer your questions and help you with the application process.
For more information about becoming a Special Constable, contact Sergeant Derek MacFarlane at d.macfarlane@ssmps.org or (705) 949-6300 ext. 238.
Pay structure January 1, 2026 - July 1, 2026:
Level 1 (Starting):
Level 2 (after 2,080 hours worked):
Level 3 (after 4,160 hours worked):
Benefits*
*Part-time members become eligible for benefits after working sufficient hours in a calendar year. Ask your recruiter or HR for more information.
Minimum Requirements:
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service’s selection standards are high. If you are not presently able to minimally meet all these standards, you may want to consider taking time to improve your level of competitiveness.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old to apply to a police service. There are no other age limitations.
Being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident is a requirement.
International applicants, as well as Canadian applicants, educated outside of Canada will require an Educational Credential Assessment.
An Educational credential assessment (ECA) is used to verify that your foreign degree, diploma, or certificate (or other proof of your credential) is valid and equal to a Canadian one.
You may obtain educational equivalency assessments through one of these agencies:
If your secondary school (high school) education took place outside of Canada, an ECA of your secondary school credentials is required, regardless of any post-secondary or continuing education.
Yes. We are committed to hiring the most suitable applicants.
Good character is of the utmost importance in the decision to hire a Special Constable. Some of the qualities, characteristics, and skills we look for are (in no particular order):
Special Constables must be in good health. Candidates must pass medical, vision and hearing standards. Applicants with concerns about their health should get advice from a medical professional before applying.
Yes. We require proof of successful completion of high school (secondary school), regardless of whether you provide proof of successful completion of college or university (post-secondary school).
If your high school education took place outside of Canada, an Educational Credential Assessment of your secondary school credentials is required.
Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be evaluated in the following phases:
Applications are not accepted in-person or via email.
1. Click on the "View Current Career Opportunities" button on any of our career path pages to view posted positions. Click on the job number to view a specific posting.
2. You will be taken to a full description page. If you are interested in applying to that position, click the "Apply" button at the bottom of that page.
3. You will then be prompted to create select "New Applicant" or "Returning User." If you are a new applicant you will need to create a user profile. If you do not have an email account, you can set one up with a free email provider such as Gmail.
4. Ensure you have all of the documents uploaded as your application will not be submitted without having all required documents in the system.
5. An email confirming your application will be automatically sent to you when you have applied successfully. If you do not receive an email, your application has not uploaded to the competition and will remain in the candidate profile.
We thank all of those who apply; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
To learn more about the physical fitness test, scoring, and recommended preparation program, visit our Physical Fitness Requirements webpage.
Yes, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service will work with the candidate to accommodate their schedule. We would have the candidate attend Sault Ste. Marie and complete a fitness test. If successful, then the candidate would have an interview the same day.
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service conducts a blended interview, using the Essential Competencies Interview and Local Focus Interview.
We recommend using the STAR method for answering interview questions. Every answer should include:
Applications are valid for one year from the date that you have applied.
This is a competitive process. Your process may be stopped at any time if you are deemed not to be competitive or concerns arise. Applicants are continually being assessed on their qualifications including education, driving ability, physical fitness, good moral character, and writing skills. Your conduct prior to and throughout the process will assess your integrity, leadership, and people skills.
The information you provide will help us to determine whether you meet certain requirements of good moral character and habits as well as conditions of work, as referenced by the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA). Your answers may be verified through a detailed background check, which is a routine requirement for candidates who reach the final stages of the selection process. Please be advised that providing false or misleading information may lead to disqualification from the selection process.
Factors that will come up in a background check and may disqualify you include (but are not limited to): recent police involvement, intimate partner (domestic) violence, criminal charges, affiliation with criminal activity, etc.
Yes; however, if you have previously applied for this position, you may receive an error message indicating you have already applied. Please sign in to the application portal and replace any documents that require updating. After ensuring all of your documents are up-to-date, please contact Sergeant Derek MacFarlane in Uniform Recruitment via email d.macfarlane@ssmps.org to advise your documents have been updated and you would like to re-apply.