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Oldest Territorial Force in Canada—Started by courageous

Irishman and small band of settlers—Pacific pioneers in

nineteenth century taught quick respect for British law—Col.

J. E. McMullin responsible for reorganization to completely
cover British Columbia's tremendous acreage.

BRITISH COLUMBIA joined in celebrat-
ing a birthday this year, when in July the
B. GC. Police, oldest territorial force in
Canada, commemorated its eightieth anni-
versary.

In honour of the auspicious occasion,
THE SHOULDER STRAP presents its first issue
to the reading public of this vast territory.

Tue SHOULDER Strap hopes to fulfil a
two-fold editorial policy; to acquaint the
reader with interesting, authentic stories on
the work and purpose of its fine Police or-
ganization, and to entertain the reader in a
pleasing manner.

Probably one of the most interesting nar-
ratives in connection with Canadian Police

is the story of the birth of the B. C. Police,
practically paralleling the history of the
Province.

From 1858 to the present day, with over
400 men, now under Commissioner J. H.
MeMullin, the story of the Provincial Police
is replete with brilliant achievements and

OCTOBER, 1938

steady progress. Ranking with the leading
Police units of Canada, and pre-dating the
commencement of the famous North West
Mounted Police by 15 years, the British
Columbia Constabulary has kept to its high
standard since its inception more than three-
quarters of a century ago.

UP-TO-DATE ORGANIZATION

Today, apart from being the efficient,
respected body looked up to by the citizens,
the Provincial Police perhaps has one of
the most highly modernized police machines
in North America. Besides the constable,
there are experts in every phase of the work
of law preservation. Keen-visaged special-
ists in crime, who miss nothing, leave nothing
to chance; top-notch technicians, with all
the latest equipment and mechanical knowl-
edge at their finger-tips; deep-sea navi-
gators; relentless crime trappers, hidden
away in the far north, near the Yukon bor-
der; all these people are woven together in
one solid body, the centre of which is the
efficient Headquarters staff at Victoria, and
stretches to the far boundaries of Alberta
and the United States.

The early history of the Force shows
only Vancouver Island policed in 1858. Sir
James Douglas, then Governor of the British
colony, wisely provided for a properly or-

ganized constabulary to cope with an ever-
increasing trek of miners into British Colum-
bia, bound for the gold fields along the
Fraser River.

On July 28, 1849, the British Parliament
had passed “An Act to Provide for Admin-
istration of Justice on Vancouver Island.”
Twelve days later Richard Blanshard, Bar-
rister-at-Law of Lincoln’s Inn, was ap-

Chartres Brew, British Col-
umbia’s first Chief Inspec-
tor of Police.

pointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief
in and over the Island of Vancouver and its
dependencies. Fort Victoria, where the
present capital stands, had been established
by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1846,
and Governor Blanshard arrived at the Fort
in 1850.

His commission was read in the presence
of Chief Factor Douglas of the Hudson’s
Bay Company, and thus was inaugurated
the first British colony in the North Pacific,
and the first Crown Government west of
the Great Lakes. Later, there followed the
first Court of Justice in 1853, and the first
Legislative Assembly in 1856. Governor
Blanshard resigned his office after a year
and was succeeded by Chief Factor Douglas.

GoLtp Was DISCOVERED

The Company’s 20-year lease to the
territory of Vancouver Island was due to

Grave of Chartres Brew at Richfield Cemetery.

expire in 1858 and, just prior to its expira-
tion, gold was discovered on the Fraser
River. Word of the discovery was quickly
carried far and wide, and miners imme-
diately flocked to the territory. Washing-

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