In honour of today being Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day in Canada, which was declared in 1998 to be the last Sunday of September every year, I am reposting this article originally posted on 16 February 2015.
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I have cousins who were and are in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and a niece who is planning to apply to the RCMP when she has finished her studies. She has been riding all her life and hopes to be a member of the Mounted Unit, and someday be in the Musical Ride.
The Musical Ride started with the North West Mounted Police and had their first public show in 1904. It became a permanent part of the RCMP in 1961, and they perform at fairs and events all across the country.
My husband's father, Narcisse Dollard Alphonse Nolin (Al), regimental number 12952 was hired by the RCMP on September 6, 1937. He served in Regina Saskatchewan, Rockcliffe Ontario and Montreal Quebec. Al met his beloved Leona in 1937 but regulations kept them from being married at that time. Leona followed Al to Montreal in 1939, getting a job at Woolworths (bring back memories to anyone?) and they were finally married in 1944. Al finished his term on September 5, 1947 and then became an investigator for the Fire Underwriters Investigation Bureau in Montreal.
Before 1966 all recruits received horse training. Here is Al showing off his riding skills!
If you have an ancestor who was a police officer, you may find them mentioned in the following publications and websites. I also listed Police Memorials for several countries and you can find more by searching "police honour roll". Also check city directories.
Relevant Links:
The North West Mounted Police service files at LAC
Officer Down Memorial Page (Canada): Remembering all law enforcement heroes
NWMP graves in the Yukon
The riders of the plains : Royal North West Mounted Police of Canada, 1873-1910
National RCMP graves
RCMP Honour Roll
RCMP Police Dog Trainer Honour Roll
RCMP Honour Roll and death notices - browse at Family Search
RCMP - The Quarterly Index
The Police Blue Book - USA, Canada and Principal Foreign Countries - 1940
FOIA - FBI employees - several records
The United States Secret Service in the late war: and introduction to the leading men at Washington, with the origin and organization of the Secret Service Bureau - 1890
Police History and directory - Chicago 1917
Royal North West Mounted Police Manual - 1906
Police Roll of Honour - UK
Western Australia Police Honour Roll
Australia National Police Honour Roll
Queensland Police Honour Roll
New Zealand Memorial of Police Killed by Criminal Acts (PDF with photos)
List of Irish Police Officers killed in the line of duty
Toronto Police Honour Roll
Ontario Police Honour Roll
Canadian Peace Officer Memorial Assn - Honour Roll
Canadian Police and Peace Officers Memorial
Canadian Police Dogs killed in the line of duty
Boston Police 1901
Boston Police Records Index
These Boston Police Records also gives names of persons issued a license for various things, like Hackney Carriages, Hand Carts, etc...
The Philadelphia Police, past and present - 1887
International Police, detective, sheriff, constable and identification directory, 1921
The Trooper Police of Australia; a record of mounted police work in the commonwealth from the earliest day of settlement to the present time - 1912
List of magistrates, coroners and constables in County of York, Ontario 1880
Sketches of the Royal Irish Constabulary
Return of Police force in Baronies in County of Limerick 1851
Related Post: Irish Constabulary Resources
If I remember correctly, they had to be in the service 5 years before they were allowed to marry!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ilene, I wasn't sure and didn't find a reference to it on their site.
ReplyDeleteDianne. Great post. I just discovered your blog thanks to a link on Gail Dever's blog. Both my husband and I are retired San Diego Police Officers. I appreciate all the links you included in your post. I'll certainly be dropping by again.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to my blog should you want to stop by www.michiganfamilytrails.com
Thanks Diane. I did enjoy your blog, I like reading about families. Thanks for sharing. I see you too have a Theophilus in your ancestry. Mine is in Ireland. I love that name!
ReplyDelete