Dominion Police
Encyclopedia
In 1868 the Dominion Police began as a police force protecting the Parliament Buildings on Parliament Hill
in Ottawa
(now protected by House of Commons and Senate Security Service Constables and Scanner operators) and by 1911 it served as Canada's eastern police force (for provinces east of Manitoba, excluding Newfoundland which did not join Canada until 1949).
In May 1918, the 969 member Dominion Police was assigned under the Department of Militia and Defence and became a civilian wing of the Canadian Military Police Corps.
The civilian members of the CMPC were merged with the Royal North West Mounted Police (Canada's western police force) on February 1, 1920 to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
.
Roles of the DP included:
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
(now protected by House of Commons and Senate Security Service Constables and Scanner operators) and by 1911 it served as Canada's eastern police force (for provinces east of Manitoba, excluding Newfoundland which did not join Canada until 1949).
In May 1918, the 969 member Dominion Police was assigned under the Department of Militia and Defence and became a civilian wing of the Canadian Military Police Corps.
The civilian members of the CMPC were merged with the Royal North West Mounted Police (Canada's western police force) on February 1, 1920 to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
.
Roles of the DP included:
- bodyguards for politicians in Ottawa
- secret service
- security intelligence
- protecting naval dockyards in Halifax
- national fingerprint bureau
- parole service
- other law enforcement duties
Heads of the Dominion Police
- Gilbert McMickenGilbert McMickenGilbert McMicken was a Canadian businessman and political figure. He served on the Council of Keewatin the governing body of the District of Keewatin from 1876 to 1877....
1869-1873, Commissioner - Sir Arthur Percy Sherwood 1885-1918, Commissioner
- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Gilbert Godson-Godson, Provost Marshall (CMPC)