Celebrating Police Week and the 150 Anniversary of the RCMP

B.C.

2023-05-15 13:48 PDT

National Police Week May 14-20, 2023

This week (May 14-20) the BC RCMP will be celebrating Police Week and our 150 Anniversary.

National Police Week began in 1970 as a way for the police to connect with their communities and to increase awareness about the services they provide. Living in the communities where our members and employees serve provides a special connection between those unique places and populations for this National Police Week.

Over the course of this week, join us as we take a look at how policing operations have evolved and changed.

Topics will include evolving technology, our growing and changing modes of transportation, our membership and employees, and how frontline policing has advanced.

We look forward to celebrating the week with you!

Celebrating Police Week: Keeping Pace with Technology

As we near the 150th Anniversary of the RCMP on May 23, it’s valuable to look at where we’ve been and how far we have come. Nothing exemplifies this more than the world of technology.
From Mounties on horseback to electric vehicles—150 years of change

While horsepower—literally—is still very much part of the RCMP tradition—the officers on horseback during the March West 150 years ago, couldn’t begin to imagine how we are getting around today.
The evolution of police work

The organization originally known as the North-West Mounted Police was formed in 1873, and the first 150 recruits gathered at Lower Fort Garry, Manitoba to start training. The next summer the corps of 300 recruits (comprised of only men) set out on the March West setting up posts along the way which employed First Nations and Metis guides, scouts and interpreters. The RCMP has grown and evolved significantly through that time.
Frontline policing in our communities today

As the RCMP and society changes and evolves these officers also are adapting to new community needs and pressures. What was community policing 150 years ago has changed significantly. During our early years the RCMP was often the first government agency and service providers for emerging communities. One of first roles was to help new communities and new settlers adapt to unexpected realities.