As Mounties observe 100 years of service to British Columbia, Province and communities celebrate RCMP Appreciation Day

It's a twin commemoration today, as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police observe the 100th year of their service to the province of British Columbia, today's observance coming as the Province puts in place it's annual tribute to the Force in the way of RCMP Appreciation Day.

As part of last year's Legislation approvals, a Member's Bill M 211was approved that will mark February1st as the date of the annual salute to the work of the RCMP in the province of British Columbia.

While the Federal Force has been in the province for the last 100 years, they took over full time policing duties in many British Columbians in 1950 when the BC Provincial Police Force was disbanded.

That a rather controversial moment in British Columbia history.

The Bill to recognize the RCMP was introduced in the Legislature last year by Vernon area MLA's, it was a grass roots campaign in the Vernon area which got the process rolling to make for the dedicated day of Thanks to the Force

In a statement issued today, Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Strachan, the Commanding Office for the RCMP in British Columbia offered up the thanks of her members for the show of support from the province.

The RCMP has a strong history in the province of BC and I feel privilege that our commitment to keep you safe is being recognized in this way. In fact, it was in 1950 that the RCMP took over policing duties from the BC Provincial Police marking the important milestone of serving BC for 70 years. Since that time, the province and the RCMP have grown and evolved together. 

 As your provincial police force, we are proud to serve, live in, and support communities throughout British Columbia. We collaborate with local groups and businesses to adapt what we do best, and we create local solutions that meet the needs and priorities of the region.

Around the province, many communities have taken to the Social media platforms to pay tribute to the work of the RCMP in their community.

So far today in the Northwest, the Terrace City Council is the only one of the major communities in the region which has offered up thanks for the work of the members of the RCMP detachment.

The Day has also been observed by way of twitter as well as through a Facebook Page

For some notes on the work of the RCMP and all Emergency Responders across the Northwest see our archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.