| History/Biographical |
The New Westminster Police Historical Society was formed on May 29th, 2001, with a mandate to preserve and display heritage records, memorabilia and artifacts related to the New Westminster Police Service (New Westminster Police Department) and its members. The associated New Westminster Police Museum opened in the summer of 2001, and was located within the police station at 555 Columbia St.
Principal in the formation of both the society and the museum was D.E.A. Usher (Ted Usher), a Detective Constable with the New Westminster Police Department. Usher first began collecting materials pertaining to the department in the early 1990s, and later undertook historical research for the department. Usher's work culminated in the publication of his book "Policing the Royal City: A History of the New Westminster Police Service" in 2000. Usher managed the museum until his retirement, with the society taking over administrative duties after his departure.
The New Westminster Police Department is older than the RCMP, being formed in 1873 when the city hired a single person to monitor New Westminster's growing population. Jonathan Morey was the first paid full-ltime Constable documented, with other citizens being hired on a short term basis when law issues occurred.
By the 1880s staff was increasing by one or two new members a year, and official uniforms and badges were circulated amongst the growing number of Constables. Regular patrol routes were developed, and a formalized budget and department hierarchy were put in place. In 1898, the New Westminster Police Department had its budget curtailed as a result of the great fire which devastated the city.
Beginning in 1901, the Police Department was located within New Westminster City Hall on Columbia St. The Department moved with City Hall to their new Location on Royal Avenue in 1953, and continued to operate out of City Hall until their new space on Columbia St. opened in 2001.
As the city recovered, the need for a strong police force re-emerged, and a set of directives were put in place to professionalize the force. Over the 1920s, department member Sid Bass successfully promoted the innovative single fingerprint system of identification. By 1929, the NWPD had reorganized, and was the first police department in Canada to adopt a "Modus Operandi" system of policing. The NWPD was temporarily moved to the century house in 1970, while renovations in their space in City Hall took place.
In the period after 1970, the New Westminster Police Department focused on creating community and outreach initiatives to prevent crime and facilitate strong relationships within the municipality they served. The Community Services Division was established in 1977 by Tony Hulme and Jim Thomson, and was one of the first policing initiatives of its kind in British Columbia. During 1991, a new Community Police Office opened in the old Canadian Pacific Railway Stationat 800 Columbia St. In 1998, the department celebrated its 125th Anniversary, inviting a number of honorary guests to join in on the occasion. In 2001, the New Westminster Police Department moved to its current location at 555 Columbia St. after a much anticipated opening ceremony.
The New Westminster Police Department is governed in accordance with the British Columbia Police Act, and is overseen by the New Westminster Police Board (Police Commission). The New Westminster Police Officers' Association acts a union body reflecting the interests of police staff. Since its creation, the New Westminster Police Department has had over three hundred individuals serve as policing personnel, and continues to serve as New Westminster's municipal police force to this day. |