JACKET, MESS

Description: MANS NAVY BLUE WOOL WAIST LENGTH MESS JACKET, WITH A DEEP V NECK AND A BRASS PIN ON EACH LAPEL. THE PINS ARE MARKED "POLICE LETHBRIDGE" IN LARGE LETTERS, AND "CITY OF LETHBRIDGE 1890-1906" IN GOLD ON A BLUE BACKGROUND, AND HAVE RED FELT UNDER THE PIN. JACKET FASTENS WITH FOUR BRASS BUTTONS MARKED WITH A CROWN IN THE CENTRE AND "POLICE FORCE" AROUND THE OUTSIDE. EACH CUFF ON THE SLEEVE HAS TWO BUTTONS WITH THE SAME DESIGN AS BUTTONS MENTIONED ABOVE, EXCEPT THEY ARE SMALLER. SHOULDER FLAPS FASTEN WITH THE SAME BUTTON AS ON CUFFS, AND EACH SIDE HAS TWO DIAMOND SHAPED NICKEL PIPS, AND ONE BRASS CROWN PINNED ON. JACKET HAS NO LABELS ON INSIDE, AND CONDITION IS LIKE NEW.

History: FRANK JAMES BATHGATE WAS BORN IN LETHBRIDGE AND GREW UP IN THE PARK LAKE AREA. HE APPLIED TO THE LETHBRIDGE POLICE FORCE IN 1951 AND WAS APPOINTED CONSTABLE ON JANUARY 14, 1953. HE WAS THEN PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF ACTING SERGEANT IN 1960, AND IN 1967 PROMOTED TO DETECTIVE IN THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BRANCH, WHERE HE WAS APPOINTED HEAD OF NARCOTICS AND DANGEROUS DRUG SECTION OF THE LETHBRIDGE POLICE FORCE. IN 1971 FRANK WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF DETECTIVE SERGEANT AND WAS THE HEAD OF THE NEWLY CREATED CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT, IN ADDITION TO HIS DUTIES IN THE DRUG UNIT. ACCORDING TO ONE DOCUMENT (PERM RECORD), HE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE FORMATION OF THE CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE SERVICE OF CANADA, WHICH DEALS WITH ORGANIZED CRIME AND OTHER AREAS OF NATIONAL INTEREST. IN JUNE OF 1978 HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF INSPECTOR, AND TOOK OVER COMMAND OF THE UNIFORMED PATROL DIVISION. IN AUGUST OF 1979 BATHGATE WAS PROMOTED TO SUPERINTENDENT AND FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER PROMOTED TO DEPUTY CHIEF OF POLICE. HE HELD THIS APPOINTMENT UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1988. FRANK BATHGATE PASSED AWAY IN 1996.