KNIFE, SWITCHBLADE

Description: SWITCHBLADE HANDLE HAS STAINLESS STEEL BOLSTER AND BUT WITH TAPERED EDGES, WHITE POLISHED PEARL SHELL HANDLE WITH BRASS FIXTURE NAILS AND RELEASE BUTTON. ON END OF HANDLE IS SILVER LOOPED RING HINGED TO BUTT. RING HAS RAISED SCROLL WORK ON IT. ON LOW END OF BLADE ARE TWO HINGER TABS WHICH FORM HILT WHEN OPEN. BLADE IS TAPERED TO POINT AND HAS EDGE ALL ALONG ONE SIDE AND ONLY ALONG TOP FROM POINT TO 3.3CM IN. STAMPED ON BLADE NEAR BOLSTER IS "STAINLESS STEEL" AND ALONG SIDE OF BLADE IS "RIZZUTO ESTILETO MILANO". TIP OF BLADE IS BENT.

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.