Very little is known of the R.C.M.P. in this area in the early days.
Most of the members of the force were from well-to-do English families
who came to Canada to join the newly organized North West Mounted
Police. Ranchers and farmers in the early days of the west welcomed
the periodic patrols of the Mounted Police, not only for the protection
they offered, but for the friendships they provided, and for the latest
news those upholders of the Law brought to the isolated homes.

Officials records are not available to indicate that there was any
actual police station at Del Bonita, but the Mounties had stopping
places in the area. One was at the Otis Hitt farm in 1915. The
Hitts had two extra rooms built onto their house. These were used
by the Mounties when they stayed in the area.

Another was on the North branch of the Milk River, south of the
McIntyre Ranch at the Taylor home. Another was located in the
Twin River area. A 1907 N.W.M.P. reports that at Whiskey Gap
there was one Constable and one saddle.

Irvine Morton remembers that Leo Hester served with the R.C.M.P.
in the early days and spent the winter of 1910 living in the rock
house at Ross Lake.

Latham Bowen recalls Carlisle King serving with the Border Patrol
and staying at their place while he recovered from some illness.

Jim Howitt recalls that while he was living in his sheep camp, the
R.C.M.P. came and asked to be shown the section pins. They
wrote them in the books and had Jim sign them to show they had
made their patrols. The Police also checked to make sure the
horses were picketed out by hobbles on their feet. It was illegal
to picket them with a halter and rope.

Colin MacKenzie remembers that their home was a stopping place
for the R. C. M. P. and the old Provincial Police on their patrol
through the lease country. They were expected every couple of
weeks. Corporal Holgate from Warner on horseback, and
Constables Ellis and Madison from Magrath, also Corporal E 0.
Shaw from Cardston are some he remembers. Later in the
automobile days, Corporal Carter from Coutts and the R. C.M.P.
with Constables Jack Gibbons and George Weston called at
the MacKenzie home.

These policemen came out from Magrath and Cardston on
horseback. They checked on cattle, bootlegging, and other
infractions of the law. They also wanted to be sure that all
was well among the homesteaders.

Frank Mains recalled that when they moved their buildings about
1904 up into the coulee where the rocks are, some of the
ranchers told them there was a Mounted Policeman buried there.
The story was that he was lost in a storm and freezing anyway,
so shot his horse and turned his gun on himself, not knowing
that he was only three miles from the Brown Ranch cabin on
the north side of the Milk River.

He also recalled another incident prior to 1908, when a Mounted
Policeman was shot. The Mounties were after a half-breed and
they got him in the open on the run. They didn't want to shoot
him. One policeman, on a fast horse, rode up alongside of him
and asked him to surrender. He shot the Mountie out of his saddle,
jumped the Mountie's horse, and escaped over the line into
Montana.

Colonel Roberts of the Royal North West Mounted Police patrolled
the area in the early 1900's, and sometimes called at John Main's
home.

The Mounties made regular patrols to see that all was well among
the homesteaders, and to help settle minor disputes.

Today the R.C.M.P. still uphold the law, and make routine road
patrols of the high country area. With modern transportation and
communication, they are easily contacted, and offer a feeling of
security for everyone.

Milk River Ridge N.W.M.P. 1888

"The camp at Milk River Ridge is situated within view and easy
access of the trail leading from Lethbridge to Benton, along
which there is a fair amount of travel. Illicit whiskey traders,
etc., as a rule, cross more to the westward. The forty miles
between the ridge and "D" Division outpost at Pot Hole Coulee
is a long stretch of country to watch. Whiskey traders bring
their loads to the line and, if necessary, cache them while they
look ahead. When the coast is clear they load up their teams
and make a rush for it. The boundary being so near they can
easily do this, and as they know every inch of the country and
have selected their spot for crossing the river, a little darkness,
so far from being unfavourable to them, screens without
hindering their operations."

Miscellaneous Histories