Description

This is the story of the birth and development of the Belleville Police Services over 190 years.

From the beginning in 1836, the Police Service carried out its wide-ranging and ever-expanding responsibilities in a society continuously evolving.  From the Victorian Age, the Police Service responded to the constantly changing and fast-paced environment with two World Wars, the Great Depression, and periods of reconstruction and growth. The Service also adopted the latest technology from the earliest days of foot patrol to the use of the bicycle and ultimately the adoption of the automobile which revolutionized policing. With the invention of the radio, communication between the station and their one cruiser expanded to reach neighbouring communities and ultimately across the province.

It is also the story of the men, and later women, who devoted their lives to the safety and service of the community. Their stories of bravery, investigation skills and plain determination carried through from the earliest days to the present. In more recent years, Police Service has also meant extensive community service and the force’s participation in programs, particularly for children. Our knowledge of the 21st Century Police Service can only benefit from an appreciation of how it began and evolved over 190 years.