Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was formed in 1920 by the merger of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police (RNWMP), founded in 1873, with the Dominion Police founded in 1868. The former was originally named the North West Mounted Police (NWMP), and was given the "Royal" prefix by King Edward VII in 1904. Much of the present-day organization's symbolism has been inherited from its days as the NWMP and RNWMP, including the distinctive Red Serge uniform, paramilitary heritage, and mythos as a frontier force. The RCMP-GRC wording is protected under the Trade-marks Act.
Despite its name, the RCMP is no longer an actual mounted police force, with horses only being used at ceremonial events. The predecessor NWMP and RNWMP had relied on horses for transport for most of their history, though the RNWMP was switching to automobiles at the time of the merger.
Police band (music)
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Band (RCMP Band), which operated for more than 55 years until its disbandment in 1994 (Due to budget cuts), considered to be regarded today as one of and best and most notable professional bands assembled in Canada. There were various police bands in the RCMP that flourished during the 1950s, leading the Canadian government granting approval for a full-time central band to be created in December 1958, with headquarters in the capital of Ottawa. It was listed repeatedly as one of Canada's finest bands, which earned it the privilege of being able to play for dignitaries such as Mikhail Gorbachev and Queen Elizabeth II in 1990. Although it was an official regimental band, the members worked in the band as a secondary job apart from their actual jobs in the RCMP. Members of the band wore the RCMP's notable Red Serge and adopted in the band Canadian military discipline which was in part inspired by the British Army's experience with military and police bands. Appearances made by the band also included the Expo 86 and the Commonwealth Conference in Vancouver, as well as the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988. To this day, many RCMP officers continue the original band's tradition by serving in smaller police bands in areas of RCMP operation.