Peterborough Police Service Has 175th Anniversary; To Host Community Celebration May 31
/With 2025 marking the 175th anniversary of the Peterborough Police Service, the public is invited to a community celebration on May 31 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 1421 Lansdowne St., announced on Wednesday.
Drew Merrett, Board Vice-Chair; Mayor Jeff Leal, Board Member; Chief Stuart Betts; Mary ten Doeschate, Board Chair; Councillor Gary Baldwin, Board Member; Steve Girardi, Board Member; Deputy Chief Jamie Hartnett. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Police Service.
The celebration will have the following:
Development of a 175th Anniversary Crest
Use of 175th Anniversary Crest decal on all marked patrol vehicles
Allow public to meet officers, Unit demonstrations, recruitment information, BBQ, petting zoo, obstacle course and more!
History of the Peterborough Police Service Display at Community Celebration
Return of the Chief For A Day contest
Update the mission, Vision and Values for the Police Service
The Service was officially formed as one of the first acts of Peterborough council in 1850, with William Cummings serving as Chief Constable alongside four part-time constables serving a population of around 2,200. Since then, the Service has grown to 162 officers and 96 civilian members serving the residents of the City of Peterborough, Village of Lakefield and Township of Cavan-Monaghan — with a combined population of approximately 100,000 people — and welcomes in just over three million visitors, students and residents from neighbouring communities, annually.
The Peterborough Police Service marked the start of those celebrations on Tuesday. Chief of Police Stuart Betts placed the official 175th Anniversary Crest on our marked patrol vehicles alongside our Police Service Board members.
“We are honoured to be stewarding the celebration of this milestone. It is important for us to say thank you to the officers and civilians that built this Organization and have served with dedication as our community has grown,” said Chief Stuart Betts. “When looking back through our history, it is not surprising to see the Peterborough Police Service at the forefront of policing and public safety innovation. We pledge that the Service of the future is just as forward thinking and responsive to the needs of our policing communities. As part of that pledge, we will revisit the mission, vision and values of our Service to ensure they reflect not only today’s expectations, but also the future needs of our Organization and the Community.”
Historical Markers:
The Peterborough Police Service is the 10th oldest service in the province
14 police chiefs in service history - Peterborough Police Chief George H. Johnston was originally thought to have been the first Chief of the Peterborough Police Service; however, historical archives suggest that there were three others who preceded him.
First civilian member was a female stenographer in 1952
First female officer 1968
First forensic unit created in 1948
First K9 Unit 1997
500 Water Street officially opened in 1968 and was the only police-designated building until the City of Peterborough purchase of the 1421 Lansdowne Street location in February 2024
2025 is also the 25th Anniversary of the Peterborough Police Service Auxiliary Unit
