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ETHOS.
Agency Guide

Metro Vancouver Transit Police: The Application Process

Transit Police's own published recruit process: ETHOS, POPAT, intake interview and more, with what it says about results from other agencies and what it does not say. Its page lists 11 steps but says they may not be in the specific order listed.

This guide organizes publicly available Metro Vancouver Transit Police recruiting information for preparation purposes. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with Metro Vancouver Transit Police. Requirements and steps can change; always confirm current details directly with the Transit Police Recruiting Unit (recruiting@transitpolice.bc.ca). Last verified 2026-09-23.

This walks through Metro Vancouver Transit Police’s recruiting sequence one stage at a time: what each stage actually involves, what varies by agency, and what you can reasonably do to prepare before you get there. Every stage links back to the specific source it’s drawn from.

Take the Readiness SnapshotOpen the interactive Roadmap

How Transit Police differs from a municipal department

Transit Police describes itself as "the only police service in Canada dedicated to a transit system." It patrols the region's transit network: SkyTrain and Canada Line, the West Coast Express, Coast Mountain buses, SeaBus, and bridges owned and controlled by TransLink. Its careers page says it works "in partnership with police agencies in 17 different jurisdictions."

Its officers are, in its words, "provincially designated police officers, which means they have full police powers 24/7, on and off duty," the same as municipal police officers in British Columbia, and "their authority is primarily transit property or transit-related incidents."

  • Training: recruits train at the Justice Institute of BC Police Academy alongside recruits from the municipal departments, and per Transit Police, "recruits all receive the same curriculum regardless of their home agency."
  • Sworn in first: the training page says a successful applicant is sworn in prior to attending the Police Academy.
  • The three blocks (Transit Police's description): Block I is 13 weeks at the Academy; Block II is 13 to 17 weeks back at the home agency, where Transit Police recruits focus on foot beat policing techniques; Block III is a further eight weeks at the Academy.
Understanding the Application Process →

Source: Careers; Jurisdiction, Mandate & Authority; Training

Basic qualifications Transit Police states

Per its recruit page, to be considered you must be able to meet all of the following:

  • Minimum age 19; no criminal record for which a pardon has not been granted; no adult criminal charges pending
  • Canadian citizen or permanent resident
  • Grade 12 diploma at minimum; "your combination of life experience and education will be evaluated." The page states no post-secondary credit requirement.
  • A valid Class 5 driver's licence with a good driving history
  • A keyboarding certificate of at least 25 words per minute, from an accredited learning institution or through ratatype.com
  • A valid First Aid certificate, CPR-C level (the application form says no substitutions, for example OFA level 1)
  • Hearing loss no greater than 30 dB in both ears in the 500-3000 Hz range; visual acuity standards are outlined in the application form
  • Ability to undergo an extensive background investigation (workplace, personal, financial and neighbourhood enquiries)

Source: Recruit Police Officers; Recruit Police Officer Employment Application (AZ020, V3 Jan 2026)

If you have already written ETHOS or the POPAT elsewhere

This is what Transit Police itself states about results from other agencies. Nothing here is a promise that your result will be accepted.

  • ETHOS: "A successful result from another police agency who administers the Ethos exam may be accepted." Applicants "MUST submit results of written exams completed for other police agencies with Recruit Employment Application Form." The application form asks you to submit the valid documentation of your results if you have completed an ETHOS exam with any B.C. police agency.
  • The recruit page does not state how long an ETHOS result stays acceptable, a minimum score for a transferred result, or any waiting period after an unsuccessful ETHOS attempt.
  • POPAT: Transit Police "will accept recent POPAT results from other police agencies valid for 1 year," also submitted with the application. The application form asks for documentation of a POPAT completed within the last 12 months.
  • Deferral paperwork: the application form asks that if you have ever been deferred by any law enforcement or police agency, you provide a copy of all deferral and closure letters or emails.
  • If your application does not proceed: the form says additional life and work experience "may afford you an opportunity later on to re-apply." Transit Police's recruitment policy AB010 (dated 2023-07-18) describes a "File Closed (Deferred 1 to 2 years)" outcome where the Recruiting Unit sets the deferral period and an applicant can ask to reactivate early by written letter. The current recruit page does not state a fixed reapplication wait, so confirm with the Recruiting Unit.
Does your ETHOS score transfer between B.C. departments? →The B.C. ETHOS assessment →

Source: Recruit Police Officers; Recruit Police Officer Employment Application (AZ020, V3 Jan 2026); Recruitment & Selection - Police Officers, policy AB010 (dated 2023-07-18)

Pay, costs and what the pages do not say about timing

  • Pay: the recruit page's salary scale (as of November 14, 2025) lists Recruit Constable at $7,688 per month ($92,253 per year).
  • Costs: the page lists estimates for gathering application materials (vision exam $88, typing proof $20, transcripts $6 to $10, First Aid and CPR $85 if not already certified, POPAT $60 to $80) and says Transit Police does not reimburse costs. If hired, the Recruit's portion of tuition for Blocks I and III is the recruit's responsibility.
  • Information sessions: as of 2026-09-23 the careers page lists the next session for Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at Transit Police headquarters in New Westminster. Registration is required, by email to recruiting@transitpolice.bc.ca. The page also offers one-on-one meetings with a recruiter (604.516.7421).
  • Not stated on the pages reviewed: how long the whole process takes, ETHOS sitting dates or how often they run, hiring intake dates, or the number of positions. Ask the Recruiting Unit.
  • The page describes the process as "very competitive" and says "only a handful" of the year's applications are offered a position.

Source: Recruit Police Officers; Careers

The steps, as Metro Vancouver Transit Police lists them

Stage 01

Application and Integrity Lifestyle Questionnaire

Complete the Recruit Employment Application Form and the Integrity Lifestyle Questionnaire (ILQ); the page says they can be dropped off or mailed to the Recruiting Unit as one package. Transit Police says to answer every question "accurately and truthfully," that false, incomplete or incorrect information may result in disqualification, and that a failure to disclose past issues "in most cases will prevent the candidate from proceeding."

Varies by agency: Required documents, forms and questionnaires differ by agency. Use Transit Police's current application form, not another agency's.

What you can do now

  • Start gathering documents with lead times first: sealed transcripts, driver's abstract, vision report, CPR-C certificate, keyboarding certificate
  • Read the current application form end to end before starting
  • Draft ILQ answers over several sittings and check them against your own records
Applicant Readiness Checklist →

Stage 02

Written exam (ETHOS)

Transit Police lists the ETHOS exam here and links a sample overview. That overview, an older document (uploaded 2019), describes a three-hour exam in four modules: memory and observation, reading comprehension and critical thinking, summarizing, and writing and editing, "marked out of 110" with "a score of 60% (66/110)" required to pass. Treat those figures as dated: Transit Police's current recruit page does not restate a format, pass mark or schedule. A successful result from another police agency that administers ETHOS "may be accepted."

Varies by agency: Mark totals and module weights are not the same across agencies' published descriptions (Delta Police publishes a 100-mark breakdown, for example). Do not assume another agency's breakdown applies to Transit Police; check with the Recruiting Unit.

What you can do now

  • Practice all four skill areas, not just your strongest
  • Practice under timed conditions
  • If you already hold a result from another B.C. agency, gather the documentation and ask Transit Police whether it will be accepted
ETHOS Practice →Mock Assessment →The B.C. ETHOS Assessment guide →

Stage 03

Physical Abilities Test (POPAT)

"All candidates must complete the required course in 4 minutes and 15 seconds or less." Transit Police's PAT page describes four parts: a 400 m agility run (six laps with a six-foot mat jump, stairs and hurdles), a pull/push station (six 180-degree arcs each way), a vault station (five chest and five back touches including nine vaults over a 3-foot rail), and an untimed 100-pound bag carry over 25 feet. The PAT page says testing takes place at the Richmond Oval through LEAP, and that you can contact them to practice without being an applicant; the recruit page says testing takes place at two private facilities and names the Richmond Olympic Oval Police Fitness Training. Transit Police will accept recent POPAT results from other agencies valid for 1 year, and says it is your responsibility to complete a successful and competitive result.

Varies by agency: Other agencies state different validity windows for a POPAT result (Surrey and Delta each state six months). Use Transit Police's stated 1 year for a Transit application only, and confirm the current rule with the Recruiting Unit.

What you can do now

  • Train the circuit itself, at race pace, not only general fitness
  • Book a practice session to learn the stations before a formal attempt
  • Keep your official result and its date; it is time-limited
Fitness & Readiness →POPAT & Physical Readiness guide →

Stage 04

Intake interview

"In-depth and extensive interview by 2 Recruiting Unit investigators regarding all aspects of your application and background. This panel interview will last between 3-5 hours."

Varies by agency: Interview length, format and who conducts it differ by agency. Do not assume another agency's interview structure.

What you can do now

  • Know your own application, ILQ and documents in detail; the interview covers all aspects of them
  • Prepare specific, honest examples from your own experience
  • Practice answering follow-up questions, not just a first answer
Interview Lab →Structuring a Behavioural Answer →

Stage 05

Medical examination

Transit Police's recruit page lists this step without describing it in detail. Ask the Transit Police Recruiting Unit what it involves before relying on any general description.

Varies by agency: Components and providers differ by agency.

What you can do now

  • Maintain general health over months rather than in a last-minute push
Fitness & Readiness →Psychological & Medical guide →

Stage 06

Psychological assessment

Transit Police's recruit page lists this step without describing it in detail. Ask the Transit Police Recruiting Unit what it involves before relying on any general description.

Varies by agency: Instruments and format differ by agency and psychologist.

What you can do now

  • Answer honestly and consistently; there is no technique to learn for this step
  • Arrive rested

Stage 07

Polygraph

Transit Police's recruit page lists this step without describing it in detail. Ask the Transit Police Recruiting Unit what it involves before relying on any general description.

Varies by agency: Not every agency uses a polygraph.

What you can do now

  • Review what you disclosed earlier in the process so it stays accurate and consistent

Stage 08

Background investigation

Transit Police says it involves "workplace, personal, financial and neighbourhood enquiries." Its recruitment policy AB010 also mentions police record checks and submission of fingerprints.

Varies by agency: Scope and depth differ by agency; accuracy and consistency do not.

What you can do now

  • Give your references a heads-up
  • Make sure every form and conversation is accurate and consistent

Stage 09

Ride along

Transit Police's recruit page lists this step without describing it in detail. Ask the Transit Police Recruiting Unit what it involves before relying on any general description.

Varies by agency: Not every agency includes a ride-along.

What you can do now

  • Treat it as part of the process, and ask genuine, informed questions

Stage 10

NCO (police supervisor) interview

The recruit page calls this the "NCO (police supervisor) interview" and gives no further detail.

Varies by agency: Interview structure differs by agency.

What you can do now

  • Apply the same structured-response skills as in the intake interview
Interview Lab →

Stage 11

File review and approval by Chief Officer

The recruit page lists "File review and approval by Chief Officer" and gives no further detail.

Varies by agency: Final decision steps differ by agency.

What you can do now

  • Keep your contact details current with the Recruiting Unit

Sources

ETHOS Prep is an independent preparation platform. This guide organizes Metro Vancouver Transit Police’s own published recruiting information; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in partnership with Metro Vancouver Transit Police. Requirements change, so confirm current details directly with the agency before acting on anything here.