Weapons of the British Columbia Police
- Thread starter jhawes
- Start date
jhawes:
Thanks for sharing pictures of your BCP collection. I served with RCMP Cpl. W.L. (Lew) Dempsey at Sooke, BC (late 1964 to early 1966) who had begun his policing career with the BCPP. I believe he retired as a superintendent. A few years before he died he gave me a BCP-marked .38-44 Heavy Duty Smith & Wesson revolver which the company historian informed me was sold to the BCPP in 1937. A friend gave me a half dozen loaded .38-44 cartridges a little while later. I have read that some of the S&W Heavy Duty revolvers were fitted with .357 magnum cylinders.
I am looking for a BCP Sam Browne to go with the revolver, should you or anyone on this thread know where one might be available.
Thanks.
Bill Klassen
Whitehorse, Y.T.
Thanks for sharing pictures of your BCP collection. I served with RCMP Cpl. W.L. (Lew) Dempsey at Sooke, BC (late 1964 to early 1966) who had begun his policing career with the BCPP. I believe he retired as a superintendent. A few years before he died he gave me a BCP-marked .38-44 Heavy Duty Smith & Wesson revolver which the company historian informed me was sold to the BCPP in 1937. A friend gave me a half dozen loaded .38-44 cartridges a little while later. I have read that some of the S&W Heavy Duty revolvers were fitted with .357 magnum cylinders.
I am looking for a BCP Sam Browne to go with the revolver, should you or anyone on this thread know where one might be available.
Thanks.
Bill Klassen
Whitehorse, Y.T.
Be careful what you wish for. If the problem with the RCMP was only with the management, then a provincial force might be better. Sadly, the problems come not only from management, but also from the rank and file members. There are a way too many “poster boys” (and girls) who contribute very little other than perfectly filled out OT and expense claims. How do I know that? 12 1/2 years as a regular member and another five as a Reservist working full time as a regular member gave me a pretty good insight.
If a provincial force was to be formed, where do you think most of the bodies would come from? From the RCMP. Most, if not all police forces will take trained members from another force in a heartbeat. Rest assured that the top dog would be a political appointment as well.
If a provincial force was to be formed, where do you think most of the bodies would come from? From the RCMP. Most, if not all police forces will take trained members from another force in a heartbeat. Rest assured that the top dog would be a political appointment as well.
Thats a pretty good score on the Local History front.
When I was in Regina a couple weeks back I should have gone to the museum, but time was tight.
I understand there are some interesting guns there and the side car pic was impressive, can you imagine how heads would explode if the police force where to show that off on day to day patrol ?
Thanks for sharing guys.
Rob
When I was in Regina a couple weeks back I should have gone to the museum, but time was tight.
I understand there are some interesting guns there and the side car pic was impressive, can you imagine how heads would explode if the police force where to show that off on day to day patrol ?
Thanks for sharing guys.
Rob
That rifle is either wartime or shortly after the war. Winchester has no records of precise manufacture year between SN 1221289 and SN 1500000, between 1943 and 1947. Around 1946 through 1948, most production had a slab side front band, so yours is likely a 1943-1944 gun, in my opinion, and based on the serial number.
I have a fair few Winchester 94's, but none of mine have BCP markings (plus I'm out east, so the odds are low).
I have a fair few Winchester 94's, but none of mine have BCP markings (plus I'm out east, so the odds are low).
Cottage Hill Bill
CGN Regular
- Location
- Pensacola, FL USA
Your smaller revolver is not a K frame Regulation Police. The Regulation Police was built on the I frame and in 38 S&W held 5 shots. It was also sold in .32 The K frame started as the S&W .38 Hand Ejector of 1899, then was called S&W Military and Police. Ones made during WWII were called Victory Models because of a V in the serial number. In 1957 when S&W started using model numbers they became the Model 10. If yours is a K frame it's most likely in .38 Special.
- Location
- Richmond, BC, CANADA
B.C. Provincial Police boots differ from the RCMP in the markings under the arch of the sole and toe cap (if I remember correctly, BCPP had a toecap and RCMP did not). My father-in-law Constable Ted Brue BCP # 873 was BCPP (1941-1950) and and then RCMP # 16419 (1950-1970) told his family that the new RCMP uniforms were inferior compared to the BCPP uniforms. The Ex-BCPP members continued to wear their uniforms for up to a year until RCMP uniforms copuld be provided. My father-in-law had his BCPP boots cut down to make shows (wages were low for Constables!) I had a mint pair as part of a complete BCPP uniform and it is now in the collection of the Saanish Police Museum in B.C.
The secret deal to shut down the BCPP, who were actually advanced in several ways compared to the RCMP at the time (e.g. radios in cars, aircraft), was greatly resentled by the members of the BCPP and BCPP officers were not wanted by the RCMP. The BCPP members were very well trained.
Complete BCPP uniforms were assembled by the BCPP veterans and deposited in various museums. One of these and my father-in-law's police itenms are in the Burnaby Village Museum Collection. They also deposited complete sets of their SHOULDER STRAP magazine in archives such as Prince George. The BCPP veterans hated Victoria because of the betrayal by the Attoney General. The RCMP were actually the junior orgainzation, having been formws in 1873 and the BCPP were formed in 1858.
The RCMP destroyed a lot of the BCPP kit. ONE Thompson SMG was saved and is now on display at the RCMP Heritage Centre (formerly called the RCMP Museum as I recall) at Depot in Regina but the others were destroyed. Veterans told that some BCPP kit was dumped in the ocean.
The secret deal to shut down the BCPP, who were actually advanced in several ways compared to the RCMP at the time (e.g. radios in cars, aircraft), was greatly resentled by the members of the BCPP and BCPP officers were not wanted by the RCMP. The BCPP members were very well trained.
Complete BCPP uniforms were assembled by the BCPP veterans and deposited in various museums. One of these and my father-in-law's police itenms are in the Burnaby Village Museum Collection. They also deposited complete sets of their SHOULDER STRAP magazine in archives such as Prince George. The BCPP veterans hated Victoria because of the betrayal by the Attoney General. The RCMP were actually the junior orgainzation, having been formws in 1873 and the BCPP were formed in 1858.
The RCMP destroyed a lot of the BCPP kit. ONE Thompson SMG was saved and is now on display at the RCMP Heritage Centre (formerly called the RCMP Museum as I recall) at Depot in Regina but the others were destroyed. Veterans told that some BCPP kit was dumped in the ocean.
