Quebec Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The RCMP "C" Division is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police division responsible for federal policing in the Province of Quebec. Approximately 1,500 police officers, civilian members, and public servants work on a number of different lines of effort, including financial integrity, national and border security, and organized crime enforcement. The RCMP in Quebec relies on dedicated resources to conduct investigations, provide VIP protective services and undertake crime prevention initiatives in communities in all areas of Quebec.

The role of the RCMP in Quebec is strictly to enforce federal statutes. "C" Division differs in that respect from its RCMP counterparts in most Canadian provinces and from its policing partners in Quebec, which are guided by the concept of community policing. However, by joining forces and intelligence capabilities with its partners in Canada and abroad, "C" Division is able to conduct successful inter-territorial investigations.

In addition to its headquarters located in Montreal, "C" Division is composed of detachments that are divided geographically into two districts, namely East and West districts.

The North West Mounted Police (renamed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police [RCMP] in 1920) was created in 1873 to police the western plains. In 1920, the Federal Government authorized the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to establish its first detachment in Quebec, specifically in Montreal. Staffed with ten members, this office with barracks was housed in an old building located at 283 Sherbrooke Street, across from the main entrance of McGill University. The building was demolished in 1940. The officer commanding this detachment was a superintendent named Wilcox, who was known mostly for his work in Western Canada. Later that year, the RCMP opened a one-man detachment in Quebec City, thus serving the two largest urban centres in the province. Shortly after, the RCMP provided police presence along the international border to collect customs fees and to secure the border from illegal immigrants.

Back then, "C" Division was tasked with the responsibility of enforcing some forty federal statutes. Around 1921, the RCMP opened a few detachments near Indian reserves to maintain law and order and enforce the Indian Act, governing in particular the control and sale of alcoholic beverages.

Between 1920 and 1932, the RCMP considered the Province of Quebec as a simple district without alphabetical designation, whereas Eastern Ontario was designated as "A" Division and Western Ontario as "O" Division. Back then, the letter "C" was used to designate the Province of Manitoba, whose divisional post was located in Brandon. Detachment work consisted mainly of the application of Indian legislation, the Customs Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, while drug and counterfeit currency enforcement was an important part of police work in Montreal.

The first major change for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Quebec occurred in 1932, when it absorbed the Customs and Excise Preventive Service. All 175 members and 35 vessels and crews that were once the responsibility of that department came under the direction of the RCMP. This is how the RCMP Marine Service came to be.

Operating with a limited complement of 33 members and 4 detachments in 1931, the RCMP then grew to a membership of 156 men and 31 detachments in Quebec. Given the additional duties brought about by the merger with the Customs and Excise Preventive Service, RCMP officers had to patrol the territory by land, sea and air to fight against alcohol smuggling and other forms of contraband, or to provide assistance to vessels in distress.