Act of Parliament (36 Vic, ch 35) May 23, 1873; Order in Council 1134, August 30, 1873, gave the Mounties, a slang term used for this Force, legal authority.
At the time the Order of Council http://www.gc.ca/howgoc/oic/sgc_e.html was passed, this law enforcement organization was called the North-West Mounted Police (NWMP.) The organization of the Force began on September 5, 1873 with the appointment of officers and a recruiting campaign, which concluded in 1874. On July 8, 1874 officers and men numbering 275 departed Dufferin, Manitoba for the “March West.” They took along extra horses and equipment. They arrived in what we know as southern Alberta in October. The role of the North-West Mounted Police from 1874 to 1905 was general law enforcement. Detachments were established throughout the prairies. A patrol system was initiated so these men were able to effectively police the entire region.
The North-West Mounted Police established a friendly relationship with the Natives in the region and kept the whiskey trade under control while enforcing prohibition. They also supervised treaties between the federal government and the Peoples of the First Nations.
Along with these responsibilities, they assisted the settling of the area by fighting prairie fires, disease and destitution and ensuring the welfare of the settlers.
In 1895, Mounted Police jurisdiction was extended to the Yukon and was expanded to the Arctic Coast in 1903. King Edward VII conferred the prefix “Royal” on the North-West Mounted Police in 1904.
In 1905, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police contracted to police the new provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. In 1912, their policing duties were extended to include Manitoba.
During the First World War, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police patrolled borders, kept enemy aliens under surveillance and enforced national security regulations.
In 1917, when policing contracts in Canada were terminated, the Royal Northwest Mounted Police were only responsible for federal law enforcement in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the territories. In 1918, their responsibilities were extended to the four western provinces.
Federal policing was reorganized again in 1920 and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police absorbed the Dominion Police. At this time, the name of the organization was changed to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. (RCMP) Their responsibilities for federal law enforcement were extended to include the entire nation of Canada.
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