The YouthLink Calgary exhibit provides a window into Calgary's criminal past

YouthLink Calgary has taken off the cuffs of a new historical display that takes visitors back more than a century to gain insight into Calgary's sometimes wild west past.

On Thursday, the Calgary Police Service (CPS) held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Center and CPS Deputy Chief Cathy McLellan unveiled the cufflink ribbon to unveil the new Rogues Gallery.

This is an exhibition that shows the stories behind the mug shots taken over a century ago.

“It's important to look back at our history to see how we've evolved, how crime and policing have worked in the past and how much we've changed, learned, grown and interacted with the community,” McLellan said. .

The exhibition presents the history of the people who once lived in Calgary, their appearance, places of origin, occupations, circumstances and what crimes they were arrested for in the pre-Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms era. People can learn what laws and society were like generations ago, and what has changed and remained the same.

“This exhibition provides a compelling insight into Calgary's past, showcasing the unique characters and stories that have shaped our city's historic landscape,” said Tara Robinson, YouthLink Executive Director.

Rogues Gallery aims to show that the struggles people have faced in the past are universal, regardless of the era they lived in, such as poverty, racism, and drug addiction. CPS wants to show how laws and criminal standards have changed to address and understand these struggles. Noreen Barrows, museum and operations manager, hopes visitors will feel a sense of appreciation for those who came before, whether they were arrested citizens or police officers.

“There was little understanding of addiction treatment, but now we have treatment centers. Same with mental health conditions,” Barrows said.

The main attraction

A stout mug from 1913 serves as the centerpiece of the exhibit after a five-year restoration period. The book featured images of 2,700 people and ushered CPS into a new era of crime-solving, a precursor to modern techniques such as facial recognition software and smartphones.

“It's a completely different world, so it's really a step back in time,” Robinson said.

The gallery uses a variety of techniques, including videos, photographs, stories and artifacts, to immerse guests in the world of yesterday's images and booking procedures. Artifacts include fingerprint cards, a flashlight, cufflinks and a camera. Barrows believes anyone interested in Calgary's law enforcement evolution should visit the Rogues Gallery.

“It's a fun exhibit for all ages,” Barrows said.

The mug exhibition is the first of its kind in Canada. It was made possible through collaboration with the Alberta Museum Association, Alberta Archives Society, Calgary Police Service – Digital Services Unit, Canadian Penitentiary Museum, GALT Museum, Royal Alberta Museum and Lisa Easley, librarian, conservator and artist. .

Historical Collections Manager Stephanie Woodridge said: “We are proud and delighted to be in possession of this remarkable book.”

“It's not often that you get to show off the most valuable item, so I hope as many people as possible come to look at it and check it out.”

The Mugshot book and other documents are available for academic and research purposes, though mostly through digitized versions. Research requests are received through CPS in accordance with FOIP requests.

“Through these historical images, we are transported back to another era when the challenges faced by police officers were different than today. But surely the police leaders of that time would have seen those challenges as important as they are today,” McLellan said in a news release.

The Rogues Gallery will officially open to the public on April 12, 2024. Crime prevention programs run Monday through Thursday, with the museum open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and extended to Sundays after May. day off.