Vancouver Police Department fonds - City of Vancouver Archives

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Vancouver Police Department fonds

General material designation

Textual record
Photograph

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Source of title proper: Title based on provenance of fonds.

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Fonds

Reference code

VPD

Edition area

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Dates of creation area

Date(s)

1886-1991 (Creation)

Creator

Vancouver Police Department

Physical description area

Physical description

23.45 m of textual records
765 photographs
118 microfilm reels

Publisher's series area

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Archival description area

Name of creator

Vancouver Police Department

Administrative history

Under the 1886 Act of Incorporation, the Board of Police Commissioners had the authority to appoint a Chief Constable and as many constables and other officers and assistants as were deemed necessary. The duties of the constables were "preserving the peace, preventing robberies and other felonies and misdemeanors and apprehending offenders." The structure of the Police Department consisted of a Chief Constable and three policemen. As the city grew in size and complexity, the functions and structure of the Police Department grew accordingly, with increasing emphasis being placed on crime prevention. The Chief Constable is responsible to the Board of Police Commissioners for the total policing of the City and for the control, direction and planning of the effective operation of the Police Department. The Department is divided into a Bureau of Operations and a Bureau of Support Services, with a deputy Chief Constable commanding each bureau and reporting to the Chief Constable. The functions of the Department are law enforcement; crime prevention; assisting the public; traffic control; support services; executive management services and; detention services. The first four functions fall within the responsibility of the Bureau of Operations; the last three are administrative functions, carried out by the Bureau of Support Services.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Fonds consists of the following record series relating to the administrative and operational aspects of local policing:
Vancouver (B.C.). Board of Police Commissioners
-Police Commissioners general files, 1903-1937, series 181
-Board of Police Commissioners minutes, 1886-1891, 1904-1968, series 180
-Police Commissioners received correspondence, 1940-1949, series 183
Vancouver (B.C.). Police Department
-Book of occurrences, 1889-1929, series 196
-Fire alarm box zoning map, ca. 1931, series 210
-Grey Cup games records, 1958-1966, series 338
-Information bulletins, 1960, series 201
-Lennie Investigation records, 1928, series 209
-McDonald Investigation records, 1936, series 207
-Photographs, 1894-1970, series 214
-Police Constable's reports, 1935, series 200
-Prisoners' record books, 1898-1917, series 202
-Public information displays, 1886-1970, series 212
-Royal visits records, 1939-1959, series 203
-Scrapbook, 1908-1909, series 204
-Special Constables' time sheets, 1935, series 205
-Stolen Car Bureau register, 1927-1929, series 206
-Subject files, 1929-1939, series 199
-Task Force on Prostitution records, 1986-1990, series 171
-Tucker report, 1936, series 208
-Wife Assault Coordination Project records, 1989-1991, series 172
Vancouver (B.C.). Police Department. Office of the Chief of Police
-General correspondence, 1935, series 197
-License Inspection correspondence, 1920-1936, series 211
Vancouver (B.C.). Police Court
-Health by-laws record book, 1900-1902, series 188
-Police Court court calendars, 1889-1929, series 182
-Police Court court calendars of indictable offences, 1929-1961, series 184
-Police Court court calendars of summary offences, 1929-1949, series 185
-Police Court court calendars of traffic violations, 1926-1950, series 186
-Police Court case files, 1930-1944, series 195
-Police Court charge books, 1897-1900, 1902, series 193
-Police Court drug and other offences register, 1921-1923, series 194
-Police Court maintenance payments registers, 1928-1939, 1945-1947, 1955-1957, series 189
-Police Court notices of appeal, information, summons, and convictions, 1904, 1906-1909, series 187
-Police Court outside summons book, 1937-1956, series 190
-Police Court summons book, 1945-1960, series 191
-Transcripts of Police Court cases, 1903-1923, series 192

Notes area

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Restrictions on access

Some records in this fonds are restricted due to FOIPPA legislation. Records contain personal information about identifiable individuals, including some highly sensitive personal information. See series and file descriptions and consult an archivist for details.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Series descriptions and file lists available.

Associated materials

Related records can be found in the City publications collection, including Vancouver Police Department annual reports, 1908-2009, PDS 25.

Fonds VPD - Vancouver Police Department fonds