A new book has officially been launched detailing the 70 year history of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary leading up to Confederation with Canada.

“Much More Than Police: A History of The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary 1871-1949”, written by Dr. Terry Carlson, is described as a comprehensive account of the RNC’s contributions to policing heritage in the province.

Chair of the RNC Historical Society, Jim Lynch, says it is the second such book. The first, called “Rough Justice: Policing, Crime, and the Origins of the Newfoundland Constabulary”, covers the period of 1729 to 1871.

He calls the book “groundbreaking” because it uncovers the wide variety of resources provided by the RNC.

He says in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Constabulary were looking after social and financial issues, and in many small communities RNC officers were the only representatives of government.