Dominion Police
The Dominion Police Force was the federal police force of Canada between 1868 and 1920, and was one of the predecessors of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was the first federal police force in Canada, formed the year following the Canadian Confederation to enforce federal laws and perform policing duties for the Federal Government of Canada. On 1 February 1920, the Dominion Police was merged with the North-West Mounted Police to form the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the new federal police force of Canada.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Quebec
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.