Blinded by pepper spray…shot at with firearms…and faced with attackers carrying knives. And this is job training?

It is for recruits at the Saskatchewan Police College. Follow a class of municipal police recruits through the tough recruit competition and extensive training, to graduation, and into patrol work on the new SCN documentary series, A Few Good Men and Women.

The series is co-produced by Regina-based Zima Junction Productions and Calgary-based Agitprop Films. Zima president and series producer Robin Schlaht explained, “Viewers will see what has never been shown before: we were not prohibited from filming any aspects of the training.

“The Saskatchewan Police College and the province’s municipal police services agreed to the series because they felt it is a positive way to raise the profile of policing as a meaningful career, and also to put a more personal face on police services – after all, police are a vital part of our community.”

The series follows five initial recruit competitors at Regina Police Service, then follows them as they join new recruits from police services throughout the province at Saskatchewan Police College until, after months of vigorous training, the recruits are paired with experienced officers and are actually patrolling the streets. “While some of the police recruits were initially reticent about being on camera, they are now quite excited about watching the series when it airs,” Robin said.

When asked what viewers can expect from A Few Good Men and Women, Robin says, “Viewers will be surprised at how rigourous the training is – and how all-encompassing. Yes, we all know they must learn to use firearms and make split decisions at high speeds. But they also have a cultural relations class every week, where they meet people from various communities – including gay and lesbian, Muslim and aboriginal communities -- and learn about their issues. It’s a vital part of their training – they have to go beyond understanding sensitivities to actual familiarity with the entire community. By the time they are on patrol, they have gone from scenario training with actors and members of the SWAT team playing roles, to real life.

“Viewers will learn that being a member of a police service is really about helping the people of our community. I believe anyone who watches the series will come away with a better understanding of police service.”