REVOLVER

Description: BLACK BURNISHED 38 CAL. REVOLVER WITH SHROUDED HAMMER AND SHORT BARREL. MOLDED PLASTIC GRIP HAS RAISED CRISS-CROSS PATERN AND BLACK MARBLING. TIP OF MUZZLE HAS TAPERED POST WITH FLUTED TOP EDGE. CYLINDER HAS FIVE CHAMBERS. TRIGGER IS WIDE CRESCENT SHAPED TAB WITH FLUTED GRIP AS WELL. STAMPED INTO SIDE OF BARREL IS "AIRWEIGHT 38 SPL. CTG.". STAMPED INTO RIGHT SIDE JUST BELOW CYLINDER IS "MADE IN U.S.A. MARCAS REGISTRADAS SMITH & WESSON SPRINGFIELD, MASS." STAMPED INTO LEFT SIDE OF BARREL IS "SMITH & WESSON" AND STAMPED INTO LEFT SIDE JUST ABOVE GRIP IS SMITH AND WESSON LOGO WITH STYLIZED "S" AND "W" WITH "TRADE MARK" AROUND IT. STAMPED ON INSIDE OF CYLINDER FRAME IS "MOD-38". RAISED ON LEFT GRIP IS "FITZ" AND "TEN-O-GRIP" WITH TARGET. STAMPED ON CYLINDER ARM IS "24128".

History: THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THIS FIREARM WAS USED BY THE DONOR'S HUSBAND INSPECTOR FRANK BATHGATE IN A NON-ISSUE, LETHBRIDGE CITY POLICE SERVICE CAPACITY. PLEASE REFERENCE P19960109006 FOR DETAILS. 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. C-301 PERMIT TO TRANSPORT RESTRICTED WEAPONS AND APPLICATION FOR FIREARMS ACQUISITION CERTIFICATE (F.A.C.) CAN BE FOUND IN PERMANENT FILE.