www.campbellrivermirror.com
Campbell River Mirror
THE RCMP 100 YEARS
Friday, January 31, 2020 A15
A Century of Law Enforcement
Feb. 1, 1920, The Royal North West Mounted Police becomes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) with the absorption of the Dominion Police.
CAMPBELL RIVER RCMP DETACHMENT HAS A LONG AND STORIED HISTORY OF ITS OWN T
RCMP detachment outgrew its second building and moved into the $6.6 million Police and Public Safety Building on Dogwood Street. The new building was approved in a referendum held in the fall of 1996. In a ceremony in November, 1998, then B.C. Lieutenant Governor Garde Gardom opened the state-of-the-art facility. In 2020, the Police and Public Safety Building houses a Campbell River RCMP detachment that comprises a force of 55 regular members divided into 15 sections: General Duty, Major Crime, Street Crew, Community Response Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, Community Policing/School Liaison Unit, Forensic Ident Services, K9, North Island Traffic, First Nations Policing, Restorative Justice, Victim Services, Crime Stoppers, Crime Analysis, and Citizens on Patrol (volunteers). Throughout the Campbell River detachment’s 70-year history, the members of the force have protected the community through dediCampbell River RCMP officer Al Weishlow and a police car (year unknown). Image 19736 courtesy of the Museum at Campbell River cated police officers. In addition to ulation reached more than 30,000. enforcing the law for the benefit of careless drivers on unpaved roads, toxication. In 1955, policing took logging trucks with over-long loads a big step in Campbell River when Crime was not unlike what current us all, the individual members have played a large part in the life of officers grapple with: break-ins, the first parking rules were impleand many incidents of public inrobbery, vandalism, theft, drinking the community as well, becoming mented by the town. and driving, drug offences, assaults involved in many community orIn 1965, the local RCMP deand other violent crimes. tachment constituted 13 officers, Continued on A22 In 1998, the Campbell River in addition to four assigned to the See: ‘Campbell River detachment...’ police vessel, and the commanding officer, Sgt. G.A. Perry. All tasked with policing a town of 7,008 people. The nature of crimes in the area was changing at the time with car accidents continuing to be a staple of policing but now more property crimes were “plaguing” the area as a newspaper account at the time complained. In 1970, it was time for another move, this time to a building adjacent to the existing City Hall, which it predated. The building now houses the Campbell River Ribbon cutting at opening of new RCMP building, Campbell River, 1971. Deputy A.G. Enterprise Centre. From then until Dr. Kennedy cuts the ribbon at the opening of the new RCMP buidling. Also on hand the 1990’s, the Campbell River de- Campbell River’s first RCMP detachment was located on the Island Highway across from was Campbell River Mayor, Ken Forde (at centre with crossed hands), Assistant RCMP tachment grew alongside the rapid- the government wharf. This building (pictured here in 1951) was built and opened in Commissioner Cunningham, Superintendant Nelson, and John Wade. Image 88-24b7f72c ly growing community whose pop- 1924 and was Campbell River’s first police station. Image 19700 courtesy of the Museum courtesy of the Museum at Campbell River at Campbell River
he history of the RCMP in Campbell River begins in 1950 when the national force took over policing from the British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP). The BCPP had operated a detachment in the village of Campbell River since 1924 when it was moved from Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island to Vancouver Island, bringing with it its one-person force, according to a history of policing in Campbell River published in a 1995 Courier-Islander newspaper supplement celebrating the 45th anniversary of the local RCMP detachment. The new detachment made its home in a shingle-sided building on the Campbell River foreshore across from the government wharf in the Pier Street area. The RCMP detachment expanded slightly from the small force policing the area for the BCPP, which had at its disposal, a de Havilland Beaver patrol plane based in Campbell River. The Campbell River RCMP detachment soon acquired a police vessel, the P.M.L. 9 and its members spent their time dealing with