When the first police came to Castlegar, they were the British Columbia Provincial Police (BCPP), the force being created on November 19, 1858. The force began with a single policeman to patrol 360,000 square miles and eventually grew to a force 520 strong. On August 15, 1950 the BCPP was absorbed by the RCMP, who remain the police force in Castlegar today.
The building which houses this museum was the original police detachment, which was originally located on Columbia Avenue just a block east of its present location. It served as office and jail for the constables stationed in Castlegar over its 25 years of active service. It was in use from 1934 to 1959 and was witness to the change from BCPP to RCMP ownership. In 1994 the building was rescued and relocated to its present position beside the RR Museum. It was renovated, police artefacts installed and became the museum we see today. The original jail cells remain in the building, as well as many artefacts donated by the family of the the first police constable in Castlegar, Constable George MacAndrew
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