Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Encyclopedia
Commissioner is the highest rank of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP), and of its predecessor agencies, the North-West Mounted Police (1873 to 1904) and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police (1904 to February 1, 1920). The Commissioner reports directly to the Minister of Public Safety.
The Commissioner of RCMP is the Principal Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces
. He/she also serves as the Commissioner of Firearms under the Firearms Act. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/org/team-equipe/index-eng.htm Meet Our Team]
The Canadian Monarch
is the Honorary Commissioner of the RCMP, however exercises no substantive role in the operation of the organization.
There have been 23 Commissioners since the founding of the NWMP in 1873:
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP), and of its predecessor agencies, the North-West Mounted Police (1873 to 1904) and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police (1904 to February 1, 1920). The Commissioner reports directly to the Minister of Public Safety.
The Commissioner of RCMP is the Principal Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces
Order of Merit of the Police Forces
The Order of Merit of the Police Forces is an honour for merit that is, within the Canadian system of honours, the only such fellowship reserved only for members of Canada's various police forces...
. He/she also serves as the Commissioner of Firearms under the Firearms Act. http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/org/team-equipe/index-eng.htm Meet Our Team]
The Canadian Monarch
Monarchy in Canada
The monarchy of Canada is the core of both Canada's federalism and its Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, being the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Canadian government and each provincial government...
is the Honorary Commissioner of the RCMP, however exercises no substantive role in the operation of the organization.
There have been 23 Commissioners since the founding of the NWMP in 1873:
- W. Osborne SmithWilliam Osborne SmithLieutenant-Colonel William Osborne Smith served as the first Acting Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police, from September 25 to October 17, 1873....
(September 25, 1873 – October 17, 1873) - George Arthur French (October 18, 1873 – July 21, 1876)
- James Farquharson MacLeodJames MacleodLieutenant-Colonel James Farquharson Macleod , born in Drynoch, Isle of Skye, Scotland, was a militia officer, lawyer, NWMP officer, magistrate, judge, and politician in Alberta. He served as the second Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police, from July 22, 1876, to October 31, 1880...
(July 22, 1876 – October 31, 1880) - Acheson Gosford IrvineAcheson IrvineAcheson Gosford Irvine served as Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police from November 1, 1880, to March 31, 1886....
(November 1, 1880 – March 31, 1886) - Lawrence William HerchmerLawrence HerchmerLawrence William Herchmer was a Canadian and British police commander and army officer, who was also employed as a farmer, brewer and civil servant....
(April 1, 1886 – July 31, 1900) - Aylesworth Bowen PerryAylesworth PerryAylesworth Bowen Perry, C.M.G. served as the sixth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from August 1, 1900, to March 31, 1923.- Early life :...
(August 1, 1900 – March 31, 1923) - Cortlandt StarnesCortlandt StarnesCortlandt Starnes was the 7th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from April 1, 1923 to July 31, 1931.He died in St. Hilaire, Quebec on May 28, 1934 and is buried in Cote des Neiges Cemetery, Montreal....
(April 1, 1923 – July 31, 1931) - Sir James Howden MacBrienJames Howden MacBrienMajor-General Sir James Howden MacBrien, KCB, CMG, DSO, CStJ was a Canadian soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Militia from 1920 until 1927....
(August 1, 1931 – March 5, 1938) - Stuart Taylor WoodStuart WoodStuart Taylor Wood, CMG served as the ninth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from March 6, 1938 to April 30, 1951.-Early life and career:...
(March 6, 1938 – April 30, 1951) - Leonard Hanson NicholsonLeonard NicholsonLeonard Hanson Nicholson, OC, MBE served as the tenth Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from May 1, 1951 to March 31, 1959....
(May 1, 1951 – March 31, 1959) - Charles Edward Rivett-CarnacCharles Rivett-CarnacCharles Edward Rivett-Carnac was a Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.-Early life:Rivett-Carnac, was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, England and soon after his birth, was taken by his father to Assam in India. He lived there until he returned to England at the age of six and spent his...
(April 1, 1959 – March 31, 1960) - Clifford Walter HarvisonClifford HarvisonClifford Walter Harvison served as the 12th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from April 1, 1960 to October 31, 1963.-References:...
(April 1, 1960 – October 31, 1963) - George Brinton McClellan (November 1, 1963 – August 14, 1967)
- Malcolm Francis Aylesworth LindsayMalcolm LindsayMalcolm Francis Aylesworth Lindsay was the 14th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, serving from August 15, 1967 to September 30, 1969.-References:...
(August 15, 1967 – September 30, 1969) - William Leonard HiggittWilliam HiggittWilliam Leonard Higgitt was the 15th Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner and President of the International Criminal Police Organization .Leonard was born in Anerley, Saskatchewan on November 10, 1917...
(October 1, 1969 – December 28, 1973) - Maurice Jean NadonMaurice NadonMaurice Jean Nadon was the 16th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, serving from January 1, 1974 to August 31, 1977.He was the first French Canadian commissioner of the RCMP.- References :...
(January 1, 1974 – August 31, 1977) - Robert Henry SimmondsRobert SimmondsRobert Henry Simmonds, OC was the 17th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, serving from September 1, 1977 to August 31, 1987.In 1987, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.- References :...
(September 1, 1977 – August 31, 1987) - Norman InksterNorman InksterNorman David Inkster, OC served as 18th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from September 1, 1987 to June 24, 1994...
(September 1, 1987 – June 24, 1994) - Joseph Philip Robert MurrayJoseph Philip Robert MurrayJoseph Philip Robert Murray served as 19th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, from June 23, 1994 - September 1, 2000....
(June 25, 1994 – September 1, 2000) - Giuliano ZaccardelliGiuliano ZaccardelliGiuliano Zaccardelli, COM is a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who was the Commissioner of the RCMP from 2 September 2000 to 15 December 2006. Zaccardelli's departure from the RCMP was linked to the force's involvement in the Maher Arar Affair...
(September 2, 2000 – December 15, 2006) - Beverley BussonBeverley BussonBeverley Ann Busson, COM, OBC is a former Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She was the first female to hold this post from December 16, 2006 to July 16, 2007, and was appointed on a temporary basis in the wake of Giuliano Zaccardelli's resignation amid controversy that erupted...
(interim) (December 15, 2006 – July 16, 2007) - William J. S. Elliott (July 16, 2007 – November 20, 2011)
- Bob PaulsonBob PaulsonBob Paulson, COM is the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He previously served as the Deputy Commissioner, Federal Policing from November 2010 to 2011. He replaced the fist civilian Commissioner William J. S. Elliott who is currently working with INTERPOL.Paulson was born in...
(November 21, 2011 – current)