Material Type

Mixed Media

Date Range

1967-2001

Creator

Lethbridge Regional Police Service

Physical Description

0.03 m of textual records; 121 photographs

Physical Condition

Excellent

History Biographical

On 21 April 1902, Lethbridge Town Council passed a resolution to authorize the hiring of a Town Inspector who would also be sworn in as a Special Constable. The salary for the position was $60 per month, and a new uniform was supplied each year. Thomas Lewis applied for the job, and was hired on 16 June 1902 by passage of a by-law. Lewis’ duties were defined in the by-law. “He shall further cause himself forthwith to be sworn in as a Constable and shall exercise and perform all the duties required to be done and performed by a Constable in connection with enforcement of the Town by-laws and the maintenance of peace and order within the Municipality.” At the same meeting, town council appointed town engineer Thomas Hiscox a special constable, to assist Chief Constable Lewis as required. The Lethbridge City Police faced its first crisis beginning on 1 August 1912 when Chief Joseph Gillespie reported to Mayor George Hatch on the actions of two members, Inspector Leslie Silliker and Detective Pat Egan. Both Silliker and Egan were dismissed, but in turn laid charges against Chief Gillespie of being drunk on duty and misappropriating money from licenses and fines. On 6 August 1912 city council passed a motion to request a judicial inquiry into the actions of Chief Gillespie. District Court Judge W. Roland Winter conducted the inquiry. His report indicated that although Chief Gillespie could be faulted for his accounting practices, he was not guilty was anything more serious. Leslie Silliker was never rehired by the Lethbridge City Police. Joseph Gillespie returned as Chief Constable in 1921. Pat Egan was rehired on 1 October 1918, quit on 23 September 1923 and was hired yet again in December 1928. He retired on 15 August 1941. On 3 December 1927 City Council created a Police Commission “to control the police force of the City.” The first Commission was composed of Alexander Johnston (chair), Frederick W. Downer (secretary) and John D. Higinbotham. Later re-named the Board of Police Commissioners, it existed until 1971 when it was replaced by a Police Commission created and appointed by the Province of Alberta under provincial legislation. On 5 March 1929 the policemen formed the Lethbridge Police Protective Association. Never effective as a labour organization, the Association ceased in 1935. It was not until 1948 that the Lethbridge City Police Association was formed to act as the bargaining agent for members of the force. Gambling, illegal liquor sales and prostitution were problems in Lethbridge from the time the community was founded. City Council and the Lethbridge City Police faced steady criticism for allowing these activities to continue. The City was finally forced to take action to end the “red light district”, and on 1 November 1944 George Harvey became Chief Constable. Chief Harvey served with both the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Alberta Provincial Police prior to his appointment at Lethbridge. Chief Harvey was a strict disciplinarian who immediately re-organized the Lethbridge City Police and instituted an in-house training program for the members. He also put an end to 60 years of gambling, illegal liquor sales and prostitution. Another problem faced by Lethbridge City Police was the need to share quarters. The first home of the police was in the Municipal Building at the corner of 2 Avenue and 4 Street South, shared with City offices and the Fire Department. The second police headquarters was in the former Chinook Club building at the corner of 4 Avenue and 7 Street South, and shared space with City Hall and courtrooms. It was not until 23 April 1947 that the Lethbridge City Police officially opened their own building, at the corner of 5 Avenue and 5 Street South. An 11,500 square foot addition was added to the police station in 1963 at a cost of $200,000. In ???? the police department moved to a new building at 135 1 Avenue South. In the time that James Harold Carpenter served as Chief Constable – 29 March 1957 to 31 October 1971 – the Lethbridge City Police underwent several significant changes. In 1960 two-way radios were purchased for policemen walking the beat. In 1961 a horse-mounted patrol was instituted in the river valley. A canine unit was established in 1964 when Thor’s Yorker was purchased, and Constable Joseph Schenk became the force’s first dog handler. Perhaps the most important change promoted by Chief Carpenter was in the area of education and training. In 1957 the Lethbridge City Police began to sponsor training courses for its members in a wide variety of subjects relevant to police work. Instructors were recruited from a number of local, provincial, national and international sources, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police College and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Police Academy. In 1959 Chief Carpenter presented a proposal to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) for a course in basic law enforcement to be taught in a college or academy. In 1965 Chief Carpenter wrote “A Proposal to Establish the Alberta Police Academy at the Lethbridge Community College” to the school’s Board of Governors. It was accepted, and Mrs. Kate Andrews of the Board took the proposal to the federal government. The proposal also was presented to the provincial government in 1965, where it received limited support. Finally in 1968, the CACP passed a resolution to “recommend to the Canadian Universities and Colleges that consideration be given to the development of post secondary education courses, encouraging young people to continue the pursuit of their studies and to eventually enter the field of Law Enforcement.” The resolution gave the necessary impetus for the creation of the first law enforcement course at Lethbridge Community College in 1968. It was the first of its kind in Canada. Finally, it must be noted that two members of the Lethbridge City Police have died in the line of duty, both in accidents. Acting Sergeant Paul Smith was electrocuted while on night patrol downtown on 10 June 1913. Constable Calvin Byam was drowned when he was swept off his horse while crossing the flooded Oldman River on 10 June 1964. Sources: Carpenter, James H. The Badge and the Blotter: Policing in Lethbridge (1874-1971). Revised edition. Lethbridge Historical Society, 1998 Newspaper clipping files in the Galt Archives

Language

English

Acquisition Source

Lethbridge Regional Police Service 135 1 Avenue South Lethbridge, Alberta

Scope and Content

2007.1028/001 Standing orders of the Lethbridge Regional Police Force In setions: Index to standing orders, Part 1- Duties, Part II – EnforcementPolicies, Part III- operational Routine & Instructions, Part IV- Administraive Routine & Instructions, Part V- Training, Part- VI- Dicipline. 196- 2007.1028/002 Policy Manual of the Lethbirdge City Police Force 1973 2007.1028/003 4 posters of “Trading Cards” featuring members of the Lethbridge Regional Police Service Poster I -1995 30 photos, Poster II 1996 30 photos, Poster III 1997 30 Photos, Poster IV- 2001 31 Photos and 1 Mission Statement photo

Access Restrictions

Public Access

Accession No.

20071028

Collection

Archive

Less detail