Part 13: Policing the Peace
Long before the Europeans arrived in the Peace, the Beaver and Cree had developed codes of behaviour to protect themselves from band members who threatened their existence. The first official police presence in the Peace came with the NWMP's attempt to build a cart road to the Yukon gold fields in 1897. Earlier than that the fur trade
companies more or less policed themselves as well as the native people in the area. As homesteaders flooded in and settlement increased, the BC Provincial Police made their presence felt, replacing the NWMP for a while. They were followed later by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police when the Provincial force was absorbed into the federal police force in 1950.
Images from the BC Archives collection can be found following these articles. Some articles have internal links to other images related to Policing the Peace. 13-01: The Missing Corpse (J.D. Nicholson)
13-02: To the Klondike Through Fort St John -- the Police Trails
13-03: Assistant Commissioner Duncan, RCMP
13-04: Reminiscences of Inspector Duncan, BC Police
13-06: Inspector K.F. Anderson
13-07: Ex-Inspector K.F. "Andy" Anderson
13-08: Inspector J.D. Nicholson -- problems in the Peace
13-09: Mr. Harry J. Reynolds
13-10: Policing the Peace Country
13-12: Some Problem Characters in the Peace -- Peter Pond
13-13: The Force in the Peace River area of Alberta
13-14: Policing the British Columbia Peace
13-15: RCMP Detachment in Dawson Creek, May 2000
13-16: Policing in Fort St. John (by Tom Redhead, 2000)
13-17: RCMP Detachment in Dawson Creek, May 2002
Recent History
BN13-01: Crown Prosecutors Delay Job Action
BN 13-02: Justice of the Peace service extended
BN13-03: Safer Communities group fights crime
BN13-04: 911 Telephone service on its way
BN13-05: Judge Randy Walker assigned to Peace
BN13-06: RCMP Telecommunications expanding
BN13-07: Community Policing impossible without volunteers
BN13-08: Regional Policing Plan Gains Approval
BN13-09: Regional District adopts formula for regional policing
BN13-10: Auxiliary Police may return in region
BN13-11: City to help select new head of local RCMP detatchment
BN13-12: Task Force Targets Dawson Creek's Drug Trade
BN13-13: RCMP Uncover Large Grow-Op
Recent History -2004 to 2006
BN13-14: Dawson Creek Upset With RCMP Decision
BN13-15: Air and Ground Search groups
BN13-16: Break and Enters down in 2005
BC ARCHIVES PHOTOS: Click on the image to see a larger picture and on the Call Number for more information about it. All these images are the property of the BCArchives and are not to be reproduced without permission.
Police stations in the early days, like this one at Taylor Flats in the 1930's, were very similar to most buildings of the time -- small and basic. Image courtesy BC Archives -- Call Number B-01551
The Provincial Police barracks in Fort St John, ca 1930. Image courtesy BC Archives -- Call Number D-00845
This 1914 picture shows B.C. Provincial Police Constable Duncan setting off from Pouce Coupe on a routine patrol. Image courtesy BC Archives -- Call Number F-05423
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