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Archival description
Only top-level descriptions British Columbia. Provincial Police Force Series
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Vernon Police charge book

  • GR-1887
  • Series
  • 1886-1896

Charge book, 1886-1896.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force (Vernon)

Revenue receipt books

  • GR-0438
  • Series
  • 1887-1922

The series consists of 11 volumes of revenue receipt books created by the British Columbia Superintendent of Police between 1897 and 1922.

Each volume (many identified as Form J) lists revenue receipts of monies collected by the Provincial Police and the associated payments made to the Treasury. The revenue receipts are arranged chronologically and include payments received for various licences such as liquor trade, peddler, motor vehicle and chauffeur licences, firearms, dogs, angler and other game licences. Other entries include fines, prisoner's keep and poll tax payments.

Many of the early entries are signed by Superintendent F.S. Hussey.

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

Revenue receipt books : form J

  • GR-0439
  • Series
  • 1907-1914

The series consists of 2 volumes of revenue receipt books created by the British Columbia Superintendent of Police between 1907 and 1914.

Each volume, identified as form J, lists revenue receipts of monies collected by the Provincial Police and the associated payments made to the Treasury. The revenue receipts are arranged chronologically and consist of payments received for licences for anglers and permits for export of game. There are also licences for firearms, listed as ordinary, general and special licences.

Volume 1 is from August 1907 to October 1913 and volume 2 is from October 1913 to October 1914.

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

Records of the Chief Mining Engineer

  • GR-1100
  • Series
  • 1938-1955

The series consists of five files created or acquired by the Chief Mining Engineer between 1938 and 1955. The files include: an illustrated 1938 report on Zeballos written by T.W.S. Parsons, Assistant Commissioner of the B.C. Police; a distribution list for a 1942 report on iron and steel; an illustrated copy of a 1948 report of Canadian National Railways on use of coal from Hasler Creek, B.C. in railroad locomotives; correspondence relating to the 4th Empire Mining and Metallurgical Congress and other staff matters from 1947 to 1950 and correspondence re Alaska Pine and Cellulose operations in Peace River district, 1955.

British Columbia. Dept. of Mines. Chief Mining Engineer

Detective Office day book

  • GR-3979
  • Series
  • 1914-1918, 1933-1934

This series consists of one bound day book from the Provincial Police Detective Office. The book contains daily entries by several detectives describing what they did each day, including places they traveled to, cases worked on, people interviewed and suspects apprehended. The located in Vancouver, but detective covered cases across the province, including Kamloops and Vancouver Island.

The first half of the book is written by one unnamed detective and covers the days 1 April 1914 – 10 May 1918. The second half of the book is labelled as “Vancouver District Headquarters C.I.B. Memos : C. Ledoux – M.J. Phillips” and covers the days 1 January 1933 to 31 December 1934. A variety of crimes are included, such as theft, murder and fraud. CIB likely reference to the Criminal Investigation Branch.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Correspondence and other material

  • GR-2573
  • Series
  • ca. 1913-1931

Boundary District Provincial Police files, consisting of correspondence, reports, jail calendars, vouchers, etc., from Coalmont, Fairview, Grand Forks, Greenwood, Hedley, Keremeos, Midway, Oliver, Penticton, Phoenix and Princeton, and correspondence with other police districts and with Victoria Headquarters.

These records were copied from originals loaned by the Penticton Museum in 1981. The originals had been transferred to the Penticton Museum and Archives by the Penticton area RCMP detachment. In 2006, the records were transferred to the BC Archives (accession 95-5924).

The numbered files that were microfilmed (40-1113 to 40-3500) appear to be consistent with the transferred originals. However, there are additional records on the microfilm (see the “Correspondence” and “Miscellaneous” sections in the Finding Aid).

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force (Boundary District)

Crime reports

  • GR-3598
  • Series
  • 1932-1944

The series consists of a letterbook containing crime reports produced or collected by Sergeant John William Hooker during the course of his duties as a British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP) officer while posted to Coquitlam, Grand Forks, Nelson, Smithers, Prince George, Clinton, Ashcroft, Spence’s Bridge, Merritt, and Kamloops between 1932 and 1944. The records cover a variety of crimes and social issues—particularly in small, rural communities. In addition to generic social issues, the records from Grand Forks (file 3) relate primarily to Doukhobors, and include reports on the settlement of Gilpin.

The majority of the reports were produced by Hooker. Some supplemental records (copies), such as an inquest, inward correspondence in relation to particular cases, and a reason for judgement are interfiled with the crime reports.

The records are arranged chronologically and by detachment location. The records do not capture all crime reports filed in a particular district, but were likely selected by Hooker. Some of these files have been labeled in pencil “Personal file.” The records consist primarily of crime reports on standard BCPP letterhead. Each report contains the district, detachment, and the date, as well as an overview of the case and persons involved.

Some of these records may also be available in GR-1388: Correspondence and other material created by the British Columbia Provincial Police Force of the Yale district. John William Hooker's personnel card, which provides details of the service of constables, including marital status, date of first appointment, station, and various postings, can be found in GR-0091, vol. 30-31.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Penticton Police Court record books

  • GR-1839
  • Series
  • 1910-1950

Provincial Police Court record books for 1910-1929 and 1932-1950 showing name of prosecutor, name of defendant, nature of the charge, costs, name of arresting officer, name of gaol or lockup, order or conviction, amount of fine, name of presiding magistrate or justice and "remarks" .

British Columbia. Police Court (Penticton)

Provincial Police administrative records

  • GR-2091
  • Series
  • 1941-[ca. 1950]

The series consists of records acquired and created by Colin Clarence Campbell, Clerk in the British Columbia Provincial Police Force, between 1941 and ca. 1950. There are copies of general orders, 1941-1947; nominal rolls, 1941-1948; salary lists, 1947-1949, and seniority lists, 1941-1948. In addition there are two police publications: regulations from 1945 and consolidated general orders from 1947, some lists of officers working in Oakalla Prison, 1944-1948, a list of officers and their dependents, 1948 and a list from about 1950 of the city and district municipalities policed by the R.C.M.P.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Witness statements from CPR train robbery

  • GR-4041
  • Series
  • 1909

This series consists of multiple copies of transcripts of statements regarding the events of at CPR holdup and attempted robbery on 21 June 1909. There are three statements from different CPR employees recalling the details of the event which occurred outside Kamloops at Ducks. The holdup may be attributed to Bill Miner. The three employees are Mathew Fulton Crawford, Engineer; Harry Carpenter, Fireman; and Charles Lawrence, Car Repairer.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Daily diary

  • GR-1283
  • Series
  • 1929

This series contains the daily diary kept by Constable J.H. McClinton, British Columbia Provincial Police, "D" Division, stationed at Prince George.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

British Columbia Provincial Police correspondence

  • GR-1576
  • Series
  • 1890-1911

This series contains correspondence inward and outward of the Provincial Police Force Headquarters in Victoria, principally received or signed by Sergeants J.M. Langley and F.R. Murray but including letters received or signed by the Superintendent and by various constables. The letters deal with matters concerning both Vancouver Island and the coast, and the province generally. They also include the Superintendents' report of his inspection of goals, lock-ups, and police posts, 31 December 1903.

There is also a letterpress book of correspondence from the Superintendent of Provincial Police J.S. Hussey, Sgt. John M. Langley, Provincial Constables Frank C. Ireland, John McKenna, Frank Murray, Arthur Carter, D.G. Cox and Daniel Campbell.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force (Victoria District)

Miscellaneous police records

  • GR-4061
  • Series
  • 1867-1950

This series consists of a variety of records created by the Provincial Police Force with an unclear provenance. This means the specific person or office that created or used the records may be unknown, or the records may not fit in with other existing series. The records were created between 1867 and 1950 and relate to several areas of the province.

The series currently consists of the following items and files:

-- Blank prisoner’s effects and description book, c. 1910;
-- Blank Liquor Act form and letterhead, c. 1910;
-- Receipts for miner’s licences issued by Constable Frank Trevor at Quesnelle Forks, 1867;
-- Bridge pass form book [mostly blank], 1950;
-- Lists of prisoner transfers to Victoria Gaol, 1914-1915;
-- Lock up calendars sent to the Chief Constable, Kamloops from police in Chase, Sicamous, Savona and an unidentified location, 1918.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Account books

  • GR-0823
  • Series
  • 1858-1873

This series consists of three volumes of record books from the Colony of Vancouver Island Police and Prisons Department, and later and Colony of British Columbia Police, 1858-1873. Records include an account book, 1858-1863 (contains also some fire department accounts); requisition book, 1859-1861; record of constable's clothing and advance warrants, police and gaol, 1866-1873.

Vancouver Island (Colony). Police and Prisons Dept.

Policing subject and personnel files

  • GR-0750
  • Series
  • 1942-1965

This series consists of a variety of administrative files related to the British Columbia Provincial Police Force. This includes Attorney General files P-291-2 and P-291-7, Policing of British Columbia, consisting of files on the take over of the B.C. Provincial Police by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and of various personnel files, 1942-1965.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

Provincial Police circulars and wanted posters

  • GR-4000
  • Series
  • 1884-1928, 1936-1948

This series consists of a variety of circulars (later referred to as orders), wanted posters, informations and warrants. The records were created and used by the Provincial Police Force from 1884-1920s and general orders from the 1920s-1948. The series contains several volumes with have both types of records intermingled. Some volumes are indexed by subject or name of the wanted person.

Circulars and orders provide a concise summary of changes to criminal charges, and other the directives and instructions sent to police staff. Most circulars are copied and provided to all constables and inspectors from the Police Superintendent or police Headquarters in Victoria, but some are sent from regional offices or other officials to their subordinates. General circulars or orders would have been sent to all offices.

Most of the wanted posters, informations, and warrants were received from police in other provinces or the United States, in hopes of locating wanted or missing persons. Some were created by the BC Provincial Police and are related to crimes committed in British Columbia. Photos or drawings of the individuals, fingerprints and writing samples may be included on the posters.

Two volumes were created by the central Provincial Police Force office from 1914 to 1923. Records include written circulars provided as instructions to various police force staff across the province; notices of changes to legislation or regulations; and wanted posters or descriptions of wanted persons. Records have been glued into volumes by the date they were created or received by the office.

There are also several files of loose circulars and wanted posters, some from the Nelson office of the Provincial Police Force and the Motor Vehicle Branch in Victoria. Some circulars may have be received from other members of government, such as the Attorney General. One file of circulars relates specifically to the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB).

There is also one file of nominal rolls from 1927 listing each staff and their position.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Provincial Police records relating to the Victoria district

  • GR-0107
  • Series
  • 1877-1928

The series consists of records created by the British Columbia Provincial Police between 1877 and 1925. The records relate to the Victoria district and include the following: Police and gaol diary, 1877; Provincial Police record books, Jan. 1894 to Nov. 1898; office diaries, 1911 to 1914 and 1921 to 1924; report book, 1916 to 1925; files relating to informations, warrants and depositions, 1893 to 1909; and deposition case files from 1919 to 1923 and 1925.

The series also includes correspondence files from Otway Wilkie, Senior Police Constable, Victoria, dated 1922-1923. This position is also referred to as the Officer commanding “A” Division. “A” Division of the BC Provincial Police Force included subdivisions for the Victoria and Vancouver regions, but had its headquarters in Victoria. The Senior Constable may have been located in the same office as the Police Superintendent, which was responsible for the entire province. Many records are to or from the Superintendent or include stamps from the Office of the Superintendent. These records include circulars, correspondence, game reports, coroner inquisition records, reports on various crimes. Correspondence may be with other police officials or from public reporting or providing information on crimes.

There is also a scrapbook of newspaper clippings from the Vancouver Daily Province from 1927-1928 created by the Victoria Criminal Identification Department. The clippings relate to a variety of crimes reported in the paper. They are arranged by date and indexed by name of the individuals in the paper. The scrapbook was likely used as a reference for tracking repeat offenders.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force (Victoria District)

Records of the Superintendent of Police

  • GR-3980
  • Series
  • 1903-1936

This series consists of a variety of administrative and operational records from the office of the Superintendent of the BC Provincial Police Force. The series includes records from 1861-1936, but records are predominantly from 1903-1936.

The wide variety of records have been arranged into 6 sub-series of records:

  1. Administrative : equipment, statistics and finances. Most files consist of forms, correspondence or reports and statistics submitted from police divisions, districts and stations across the province to the Superintendent’s office. Some of this information was compiled into various ledgers in the Superintendent's office. Records regard lockups and stations; car, launch and mileage reports; Gasoline Tax Act exemptions; monthly financial analysis; monthly crime analysis, revenue analysis and collections; monthly revenue analysis submitted to the Attorney-General; monthly and annual financial statements for provincial police expenses in each municipality; and inventories of government property or equipment.

  2. Administrative : personnel. Records include staff pay lists; lists of constables; and advances for constable expenses. This includes staffing data complied to answer questions asked of the Attorney General in the Legislative Assembly regarding staff who left police service and soldiers returned from World War I.

  3. Operational : licences. This includes correspondence regarding the issuing of licences and records regarding the applications and issuance of licences. Licences issued by the Superintendent of Police evolved over time and include firearm licences, retail licences, trade licences, wholesale licences, liquor licences, and licences to operate an employment agency. See sub-series 4 for motor vehicle licence and GR-0446 for additional records regarding firearm, fishing, hunting and game licences.

  4. Operational : motor vehicles licencing. Records regard the application, issuing, renewal and transferring of licences; payment and refund of licencing fees; accidents; as well as incidents related to the cancellation or suspension of licences throughout the province.

  5. Operational : miscellaneous correspondence. Relates to a variety of subjects such as Special Constables at Sooke Lake Reservoir, licence districts, Industrial School supplies, and other subjects.

  6. Operational : miscellaneous subject files and other records. Subjects include murders of August Carlson and Indigenous men Zelak and Kwa-zitl, Pinkertons investigations looking for wanted persons, a 1909 Cariboo stage coach robbery, hotel and liquor licence inspections, and the admittance of Lord Verney to a mental hospital. This subseries also includes some 1918 circulars and examples of cattle brands burned onto pieces of wood.

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

Provincial Game Warden records

  • GR-0446
  • Series
  • 1905-1927

This collection is comprised of records relating to the development, implementation and administration of game management policies in British Columbia from 1905-1927. It includes correspondence, reports, vouchers and licences, as well as information regarding firearms regulation and prosecutions under game laws. Records were created by the Provincial Game Warden, Deputy Game Wardens and other related staff.

Researchers will find these records particularly useful for tracking the development and implementation of early provincial game management policies. General correspondence and reports from Deputy Game Wardens throughout the province contain information regarding the status of game in various areas over time. Difficulties in enforcing policies such as regulation of trophy hunters and the need for firearms licences are documented in these materials. Development of the game base as an economic resource through payment of licence fees, and international promotion of the province as a sportsperson's centre, were key components of A. Bryan Williams' approach to game management and the results of this can also be studied in these records. Conflicts between the provincial approach to the game resource and that taken by some Indigenous peoples can be studied in this collection. Additional subjects include fishing, fur farming, wildlife management and conflict between hunting with other forms and land and resource use. Many of the Deputy Game Wardens saw military service abroad during World War I and the records include some relevant correspondence.

See Table of Contents below for a general sense of the collection organization and finding aid for a detailed file/item list. The contents of some files are listed in a hardcopy index (i.e. an item list) available in the reference room. The series is arranged by record type into the following sub series and sub-sub series:

A. Indexes
B. Correspondence
B(1) Personal and semi-official correspondence of A. Bryan Williams, Provincial Game Warden
B(2) Correspondence out
B(3) Letterbooks of correspondence out
B(4) General correspondence inward and outward
B(5) Correspondence re: firearms licences
C. Deputy Game Wardens
C(1) Monthly reports Boxes
C(2) Correspondence Boxes
D. Returns re: firearms licences
E. Vouchers
F. Licences
G. Prosecutions
H. Miscellaneous

British Columbia. Provincial Game and Forest Warden

Gaol Service applications

  • GR-0663
  • Series
  • 1911-1919

This series consist of Provincial Police Department Forms of Application for Position as Constable used in conjunction with employment in the Gaol Service. Applications include the applicant's full name, occupation, nationality, religion, age, date of birth, height, weight, health, marital status, length of residence in British Columbia, references, experience, etc. submitted in the applicant's own handwriting. Many are accompanied by letters of reference and the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office; some are annotated.

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

Daily Provincial Police reports

  • GR-0445
  • Series
  • 1913-1921

This series consists of four page report forms completed each month by BC Provincial Police Force constables at police stations throughout the province. The form provides a space for describing each day's activities and also lists personal and extra equipment issued to the constable. The completed reports were submitted to the Chief constable of the Police District, and forwarded by him to the office of the Superintendent.

The series also includes two volumes of log books recording the receipt of the reports from constables across the province. The books are likely from the office of the Police Superintendent. One volume is dated 1913-1920 and includes a list of correspondence received by R.E. Hose, secretary of the Game Board, Vancouver. The other volume includes monthly reports from October 1904 to February 1908. The actual reports for these earlier years are not included in this series.

British Columbia. Provincial Police Force

Stewart Police Court record books

  • GR-1856
  • Series
  • 1938-1973

Record books. Vol. 1: July 1938 - June 1960; vol. 2: July 1960 - Aug 1973.

British Columbia. Police Court (Stewart)

Port Alberni Police Court record books

  • GR-1873
  • Series
  • 1928-1943

Record books, 1928-1943. Vol. 1 (1928-1937) includes cases from Tofino.

British Columbia. Police Court (Port Alberni)

Trail District Police Court record books

  • GR-1876
  • Series
  • 1910-1955

Provincial Police Court record books showing name of prosecutor, name of defendant, nature of the charge, costs, name of arresting officer, name of gaol or lockup, order or conviction, amount of fine, name of presiding magistrate or justice and "remarks".

British Columbia. Police Court (Trail)

Letterbook

  • GR-2280
  • Series
  • 1872-1873

Letterbook of correspondence outward from the Attorney General's office January 1872 - October 1872 (McCreight) and January - September 1873 (Walkem) regarding policing In the province. Indexed. There is a list of constables, and clerks of the bench and their location glued to the inside cover of the volume.

British Columbia. Dept. of the Attorney-General

North Saanich Council minute books and Provincial Police daily diary

  • GR-0046
  • Series
  • 1906-1911, 1913-1915

The series consists of two volumes of minute books created by the Council of North Saanich between 1906 and 1911. Volume 1 covers the period of March 1906 to June 1910 and volume 2 covers June 1910 to December 1911. The volumes contain the minutes of both regular and special meetings and refer to council activities in the North Saanich and Sidney area.

Volume 2 also contains the daily diary of the Provincial Police Dept., Sidney from December 1913 to May 1915.

North Saanich (B.C. : Municipality)

Superintendent of Provincial Police correspondence inward

  • GR-0055
  • Series
  • 1891-1910

The series consists of Superintendent of Police correspondence inward from 1891 to 1910. The correspondence is generally filed chronologically and alphabetically by sender's name.

With the exception of certain files in 1896 and 1897, the correspondence from 1891 to 1900 is organized by date and then by letter of the alphabet. From 1901 to 1910 the correspondence is organized by alphabet ranges, and then by varying date ranges, e.g. Jan 1901-Mar 1903 for Aa-Bx but Jan 1901-Sep 1902 for Caa-Cz. Correspondence for a particular time period is therefore also not sequential. A single year or date range is distributed over several different boxes, depending on the name of the correspondent. Date ranges are not exact, i.e. files may contain earlier correspondence than indicated if it is part of an ongoing issue. The letter ranges are guides only and do not necessarily reflect the exact contents of a file, e.g. Com-Cz may contain correspondents ranging from Cotton to Cutter only.

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

Superintendent of Provincial Police correspondence inward

  • GR-0056
  • Series
  • 1910-1912

The series consists of correspondence inward to Superintendent of Provincial Police from May 1910 to August 1912.

The records are filed chronologically within the following categories:

  1. General, from government departments (1907-1912) (Volumes 1 to 4)
  2. Wanted or missing (Volume 5)
  3. District: Atlin, Hazelton, Skeena, Boundary, Cariboo, Hazelton, Kamloops, Kootenay west, east, southeast, and northeast, Nanaimo Comox, West coast, Vancouver, Vancouver Westminster, Victoria and Yale (Volumes 6 to 31).

British Columbia. Superintendent of Police

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