The following is a list of law enforcement agencies operating in the province of British Columbia, Canada.
Federal agencies
RCMP "E" Division – The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the largest police body operating in British Columbia, providing federal, provincial, and municipal policing throughout the province. "E" Division has a strength of 5,900 sworn members and employs 1,700 civilian members and public service employees. In addition, approximately 1,200 auxiliary constables volunteer with "E" Division. It is the largest RCMP division, and along with "M" Division in the Yukon, makes up the Pacific Region, one of the four geographical regions of Canada under the RCMP's policing scheme. "E" Division operates out of 127 local detachments. In 2013, the headquarters was moved from Vancouver to the purpose-built Green Timbers Urban Forest Park complex in Surrey, which allowed the amalgamation of numerous individual buildings around the Lower Mainland area. It provides policing services in all communities except those serviced by 12 municipal police departments. Its commanding officer is Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens.RCMP in BC, official website of RCMP "E" Division. Retrieved 4 February 2015. Canada Border Services Agency - The CBSA employs both Border Services Officers and Immigration Enforcement Officers. Both have powers and duties of a peace officer while on duty. They are designated peace officers, and primarily enforce customs and immigration-related legislation, in particular the Customs Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as well as over 90 other Acts of Parliament. Because of their peace officer designation, they also have the power to enforce other Acts of Parliament, including the Criminal Code of Canada. Border Services Officers are equipped with handcuffs, oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, batons, and are currently armed with Beretta PX4 Storm pistols. Canadian Pacific Police Service - The Canadian Pacific Police Service, commonly known as CP Rail Police or simply CPR Police, is a private police force enforcing safety and policing along Canadian Pacific properties and rail lines in Canada and the United States, including limited sections of the Milton line of GO Transit in the Greater Toronto Area. Formerly CP Railway Police, they have a long and storied past within Canada and CP Rail is a part of Canada's history. They are duly appointed and armed federal police officers that gather their authority in Canada via the Railway Safety Act as well as other acts. Canadian National Police Service - The Canadian National Police Service (commonly referred to as the CN Police or CNR Police) is a private police force protecting the property, personnel, and rail infrastructure of Canadian National Railway in Canada and the United States. Established in 1923 upon the amalgamation of several railway companies the Government of Canada established the Canadian National Railway Police. Currently CN Police Officers operate across Canada and the United States. In Canada, the BC Rail Police amalgamated into the CN Police Service in 2005. In the United States three railway police services, Illinois Central Railroad Police, Grand Trunk Railway Police and Wisconsin Central Transportation Police also amalgamated into the CN Police Service. Fishery Officers - the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada employs Fishery Officers whom are designated under section 5(1) of the Fisheries Act and as peace officers are sworn to educate and enforce all provisions of the Act and other related acts and regulations. They carry firearms and other weapons such as pepper spray while conducting patrols and other enforcement initiatives. Park Wardens - Parks Canada employs Park Wardens to protect natural and cultural resources, conduct campground patrols and other targeted enforcement activities, and to ensure the safety of visitors in national parks and marine conservation areas. They are designated under section 18 of the Canada National Parks Act and have the authority of peace officers. They carry firearms and have access to other use of force options. Correctional Service of Canada (CSC; French: Service correctionnel du Canada), also known as Correctional Service Canada or Corrections Canada, is the Canadian federal government agency responsible for the incarceration and rehabilitation of convicted criminal offenders sentenced to two years or more. The agency has its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. Employees working at federal penitentiaries are designated as federal Peace Officers under Section 10 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The CSC officially came into being on April 10, 1979, when Queen Elizabeth II signed authorization for the newly commissioned agency and presented it with its armorial bearings. Environment Canada Officers - Officers appointed pursuant to section 217(3) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, enforcement officers have all the powers of peace officers. There are two designations of enforcement officers: Environmental Enforcement and Wildlife Enforcement. The former administers the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and pollution provisions of the Fisheries Act and corresponding regulations. The latter enforces Migratory Birds Convention Act, Canada Wildlife Act, Species at Risk Act and The Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act. All officers wear dark green uniform with black ties and a badge (appear on the right). Environmental Enforcement Officers only carry baton and OC spray whereas Wildlife Enforcement Officers are also equipped with firearm. Canadian Forces Military Police - The Canadian Forces Military Police have four units in British Columbia, MPU Esquimalt under the Naval MP Group, ASU Chilliwack MP Det under 1MP Regiment, 12MP Platoon (reserve) also under 1MP Regiment, and 12MP Flight (Out of CFB Comox) under 1MP Squadron. In addition to peace officer powers granted under the Criminal Code of Canada, MPs also have the power under s.156 of the National Defence Act to enforce the Code of Service Discipline (National Defence Act), Queen's Regulations and Orders, Defence Administrative Orders and Directives, Canadian Forces Administrative Orders, as well as international treaties such as the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907. The Military Police have jurisdiction over all members subject to the Code of Service Discipline regardless of the location of the offence, and over all persons on defence property. Furthermore, Military Police jurisdiction extends to military property as well (e.g., any persons found committing offences against military property, whether domestically or internationally would fall under the jurisdiction of the Military Police). Military Police members are issued handcuffs, oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, batons, SIG Sauer P225 sidearms and Colt Canada C8 Carbines.
Provincial agencies
Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia (OCABC) Established as an independent law enforcement agency in 1999, the mandate of the OCABC is to "facilitate the disruption and suppression of organized crime". Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit - British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) In 2004, CFSEU-BC was developed in consultation with the Provincial Government. The intent was to integrate the Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia (OCABC), municipal police and the RCMP into one combined unit to coordinate the province's response to the growing threat of organized crime and gang violence. In 2009, under the direction of the provincial and federal governments, CFSEU-BC expanded to include the Integrated Gang Task Force (Uniform Division, Firearms Enforcement Team, Investigative Team) restructuring of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Enforcement and Intelligence Unit, and the establishment of branch offices in Prince George covering northern B.C., and in Kelowna covering southeast B.C. South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service (Metro Vancouver Transit Police) – Created in 2005, they are the only transit police agency in Canada as the TransLink public transit system covers 21 municipalities with 16 different police departments/RCMP detachments. Most other large Canadian cities use a combination of special constables and a transit division of their local police. Transit Police officers have the same authorities and powers as other police officers while on and off duty. They are sworn in as designated provincial constables, with full police powers throughout the province. British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) - As part of the Compliance Division of the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, the Conservation Officer Service is responsible for enforcing over 20 federal and provincial environmental statutes and for responding to wildlife/human conflicts where public safety is at risk. Its headquarters are in Victoria and it has 44 offices throughout the province. It consists of Commercial Environmental Investigations Unit, the Special Investigations Unit, and the Ceremonial Unit. The COS has a strength of 120 regional conservation officers, excluding headquarter staff.Conservation Officer Service official website. Retrieved 24 April 2007. British Columbia Natural Resource Officer - British Columbia has numerous laws to protect its land, water, forests and cultural resources. Over 150 Natural Resource Officers (NROs) work throughout British Columbia to ensure compliance with legislation and take enforcement actions as necessary. British Columbia has had a long history of natural resource compliance and enforcement even before the British Columbia Forest Service was introduced in 1912. Before the Forest Service was created in 1912 under the new Forest Act of that same year, there was legislation introduced in 1874 called the Bush Fire Act. Five Fire Wardens were appointed as Constables under the Bush Fire Act in 1905. The British Columbia Forest Service also employed Constables (Forest Rangers from 1912 to 1979), Forest Officers (1979 to 1994) and Compliance and Enforcement Officers (Forest Officer/Forest Official) (1994 to 2011) until the Natural Resource Officers were formed in 2011 under the Natural Resource Compliance Act. British Columbia Sheriff Service (BCSS) - Tracing its roots to the first sheriff appointed by Governor James Douglas for the Colony of Vancouver Island, the modern BCSS was formed after a consolidation of county sheriffs by the NDP government in 1974, and placed under the Ministry of the Attorney General. BCSS responsibilities include transporting prisoners by ground and air, protection of all Supreme, Appeals, Provincial Courts in B.C., assembling and supervising protecting juries, serving court documents, executing warrants, planning and undertaking High Security Operations for large scale trials such as Air India, protecting Federal and Provincial Judiciary, Providing plainclothes protection details to those Govt. Officials under threat, protection of Crown Prosecutors and assisting the Provincial Coroners Office, carrying out court orders. Undertaking Threat assessments and Intelligence briefings, Returning accused persons wanted on outstanding warrants as part of the BC Fugituve Return Program, working in integrated Law Enforcement Units such as R.T.I.C. (Real Time Intelligence Centre) Basic training is undertaken at the Sheriffs Academy at Justice Institute of British Columbia.Sheriffs of British Columbia , unofficial website. Retrieved 24 April 2007.