This site displays examples of historic uniform and kit that were worn by Members of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP),
the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Images displayed on this site are held by various private collections.
This site is not affiliated with, nor sanctioned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, or its wife
.

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Female Mounties
Commissioner Beverley Busson (right)
was the first woman to head the RCMP (December 2006).

Busson joined the RCMP in 1974, as part of the first female troop through Depot. She served in a variety of front-line operational positions that included general duty, fraud investigation, drug enforcement and serious crimes investigations.
In 1999, Busson left the RCMP to head the OCABC - Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia - and returned in 2000 as the Commanding Officer of British Columbia. She was promoted to Deputy Commissioner for the Pacific Region in 2001, while retaining her role as the Commanding Officer.
The kepi (above, left) replaced the standard forage cap. The S&W Model 10 revolver, bullets, and handcuffs were originally carried in a shoulder purse, along with an issue service make-up compact and mirror. (The purse was soon discarded as it was considered to be dangerous for the female Members, making for an easy grip for criminals and difficult for Members to draw their pistols). A clutch purse, shoes and white gloves were issued for formal wear.
The first Troop of female members graduated from Depot in 1975 and were sworn in as Constables. The photo above, shows an example of modern-day female Members in patrol dress, with the standard utility belt in place of a purse for their sidearms and handcuffs. The photo below shows a female Member wearing the formal scarlet Review Order uniform, which is no longer differentiated by gender, but is now the same for all Members.
Duty shoulder bag for female Members, with a removable leather insert in the middle of the purse which had a holster for the snub nosed version of the .38 calibre service revolver (left) and a carrier for a pair of hancuffs and 6 extra cartridges (right). The purse was available in left-handed and right-handed versions. Most of the female Members who were issued the shoulder bag found them cumbersome and dangerous to use. The shoulder bags were withdrawn from service shortly thereafter and replaced with a standard duty belt.
Female Members 1974 duty uniform with blouse, skirt and purse - now obsolete.
Track suit worn by female recruits at Depot, circa 1974.
UNIFORMS & EQUIPMENT
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Gendarmerie royale du Canada
In 2014 the RCMP commemorated 40 years of female Regular Members in the Force.
The first troop of 32 female Regular Members arrived at Depot - the RCMP Academy -
on September 16, 1974,
to commence their training.
Celebrating 30 Years of female members (above) in 2004 with an artistic image of (l-to-r) Sgt. Dianne Stairs,
Cst. Nikki Borden, Cst. Hélène Beaulieu, and Cst. Shauna Fenske.
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Female commissioned officer's Mess Dress with floor length skirt
Female brown
tunic duty wear - obsolete
Current issue female
non-commisisoned officer duty wear
First issue female
review order uniform with purse and kepi - now obsolete
Current issue female review order uniform with Sam Browne belt, Stetson and Strathcona boots.
On 16 September 1974, an all-female troop of 32 recruits began training at Depot, the RCMP academy in Regina. The cadets ranged in age from 19 to 29 years.
Their scarlet uniforms (
above, right) were a modified version of the classic uniform worn by their male counterparts, and featured a scarlet tunic with a white mock turtle-neck blouse and a purple skirt