It's been 100 years since police first settled in Strathmore.
On July 1, 1909, the Royal North West Mounted Police arrived in Strathmore as a precursor to the RCMP. The first member posted in town was Thomas Hill Irvine.
Irvine served for two years in Strathmore before being transferred to Gleichen. He was deployed to France in the First World War. The war ended one year into his deployment, and he returned to Canada and was promoted to inspector.
For his service, Irvine was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He also received the King George V Coronation Medal and the RCMP Distinguished Service Medal. Irvine retired from police work in 1941.
The Royal North West Mounted Police were taken out of Alberta in 1917 due to a shortage of resources from the war. They were replaced by the Alberta Provincial Police for several years until the arrival of the RCMP in 1932.
The first two RCMP officers posted in Strathmore were Thomas Sellar Wallace and John Nutt Thurston. Both had also served in World War I.
Thurston served for six months in town, while Wallace served for exactly one year. Two years after leaving Strathmore, Wallace was killed in Banff during a shooting with several Doukhobor fugitives.
Since first forming in the 30s, the RCMP has grown considerably, having moved into three different barracks during their time in town.
"We do have a couple of plans in place to celebrate our centennial year," said staff sergeant Mark Wielgosz with the Strathmore RCMP. "I've struck a limited-edition series of coins that commemorate the milestone we've reached here."
According to Wielgosz, the coins will be handed out to elected officials, community groups, and others who made contributions towards community safety.
"We're also looking to hold a regimental dinner at the Legion in the spring," added Wielgosz. "We've also got a regimental ball where everyone in the community can attend to help celebrate."
A definitive date for the ball has not been announced, but in the meantime, Wielgosz is looking to create a display case as part of the RCMP's heritage project. Specifically, he's looking for historical items from the RCMP in Strathmore.
"If they have any pieces of memorabilia, whether it's their first criminal code or uniform pieces. Whether it's members who are still out there or their family members, we're happy to accept those pieces to house in the detachment," said Wielgosz.
Anyone interested in contributing to the display case can call the Strathmore RCMP at 403-934-3968.