The Canal Zone Police was a United States federal law enforcement agency of more than 400 officers responsible for security and general policing duties in the

Panama Canal Zone The Panama Canal Zone (), also known as just the Canal Zone, was a International zone#Concessions, concession of the United States located in the Isthmus of Panama that existed from 1903 to 1979. It consisted of the Panama Canal and an area gene ...

. The force was split into two divisions, Atlantic and Pacific, and operated about 25 stations. The force was disbanded on March 31, 1982, when law enforcement responsibilities for the former Panama Canal Zone passed to the Republic of Panama under the

Torrijos–Carter Treaties The Torrijos–Carter Treaties () are two treaties signed by the United States and Panama in Washington, D.C., on September 7, 1977, which superseded the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903. The treaties guaranteed that Panama would gain contro ...

of 1977. The Panamanian National Police is responsible for law enforcement in the Canal complex. Between 1941 and 1957 three Canal Zone Police officers were killed in separate incidents. Each officer was on motorcycle patrol and was forced off the road by a speeding car. No suspects were ever charged with the killings. The first Canal Zone Police uniforms were military with a campaign hat. Later uniforms were more in line with US state police. Headwear ranged from octagonal

peaked cap A peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover, or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations, as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments. It d ...

to Stetson cavalry hat.

External links

CZP History by Chief William F. Kessler
Defunct federal law enforcement agencies of the United States History of the Panama Canal Zone

References

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