British Columbia Provincial Police facts for kids
Quick facts for kids British Columbia Provincial Police |
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Emblem of the BCPP
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| Abbreviation | BCPP |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1858 |
| Dissolved | August 15, 1950 |
| Superseding agency | RCMP "E" Division |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | British Columbia, Canada |
| General nature | |
The British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) was the provincial police service of British Columbia, Canada, between 1858 and 1950.
One of the first law enforcement agencies in North America, the British Columbia Provincial Police was formed to police the new Colony of British Columbia in 1858, with Chartres Brew as the de facto Chief Constable. The BCPP preceded the Canadian Confederation by nine years, the North-West Mounted Police by fifteen years, and the Ontario Provincial Police by seventeen years. Brew, a former member of the Royal Irish Constabulary and officially British Columbia's Chief Gold Commissioner, was vested with the powers of a magistrate to maintain state security against possible rebellion by American migrants who came to British Columbia for its gold rush and the accompanying the risk of annexation. The BCPP was deeply integrated into British Columbia's new colonial administration due to geographic isolation and small population, holding numerous unusual responsibilities such as registrars, tax collectors, statisticians, meteorologists, and postmasters. Over time, the BCPP transitioned into a purely law enforcement agency, providing provincial and municipal police services across the British Columbia mainland and Vancouver Island.
The British Columbia Provincial Police was dissolved on August 15, 1950, and replaced by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's "E" Division.
Chief Constables
- Chartres Brew (1858-1870)
- Otway J.J. Wilkie. Chief Constable in New Westminster and Fraser Valley 1861-?
