The RCMP are the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the national police force of Canada, established in May of 1873. Originally named the North-West Mounted Police, in 1904 the title of "Royal" was conferred upon the North-West Mounted Police by King Edward VII. A second police force, the Dominion Police had been formed by that time and, in 1919, the Force was merged with the Dominion Police and given the name Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Fort St. John RCMP Detachment, with an Inspector as the Officer in Charge, houses a combined total of 65 police officers from both municipally and provincially funded Units. The RCMP members are supported by 25 civilian staff, both municipal and federal employees, one Reserve Constable, one Auxiliary Constable and two staff in our Victim Services Unit.
The Community Policing Officer is responsible for many Prevention and Awareness programs such as Crime Stoppers, D.A.R.E. (Drug Awareness and Resistance Education), Block Watch and the newly implemented Safe Place program. Many of these initiatives rely on volunteers from the community and those willing to help out are always being sought.
RCMP officers respond to approximately 14,000 calls for service each year, within both the City limits and the geographic boundaries of the Fort St John Detachment response area, roughly 46,700 square kilometres.
Members are responsible for the large area that, by road, goes north on the Alaska Highway as far as the Sikanni River Bridge, west to the Halfway River Bridge on Highway 29, east on the Cecil Lake Road past Clayhurst to the Alberta Border, southeast to the 230 Road near Tower Lake on Highway 97 and is largely bounded by the Peace River on the south.
Investigations may involve any number of sections, from General Duty, Serious Crimes (General Investigation Section), Crime Reduction Unit, Drug Unit, First Nations Policing, Forensic Identification Section, Municipal Traffic, Peace Region Traffic, Integrated Road Safety Unit, Police Dog Services to out-of-town units such as Major Crimes Unit and Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit. The Detachment also has a Bike Patrol Unit and a new Seasonal Policing program, utilizing quads, snowmobiles, boats and tried and true foot patrols.