Jack Webster (Toronto police officer)
Encyclopedia
Jack Webster nicknamed Copper Jack, was a leading police officer, administrator and police historian in Toronto
, Canada
.
Webster was born in Toronto
to an immigrant family from Scotland
. At age sixteen, he lied about his age to join the Royal Canadian Engineers; he later said that he was afraid World War II
would already be over if he waited until the legal age of eighteen. Webster was in the army for five years, and served in France
, Belgium
and the Netherlands
.
He joined the Toronto police force on the same day he was discharged from the army in 1945, and was assigned to a street patrol on Queen Street West. He once identified a person he had seen on his beat as escaped German
prisoner of war
Wolfgang Friedlander, which nearly led to Friedlander's capture in Quebec
(Friedlander later turned himself in, fearing his identity would be discovered). Webster was the last constable
to ride a bicycle on his beat, and was the last Toronto policeman to wear a bobby's helmet and tight-necked tunic on duty. In 1958, he was appointed to the city's newly-formed Robbery Squad.
Webster later became commander of Toronto's homicide squad, and is credited with solving 85 murders. One of the murderers he helped capture was Detroit gangster
Arthur Lucas
, who was one of the last two criminals executed in Canada before abolition of capital punishment
. Webster recounted that before his execution, Lucas calmly thanked Webster and his partner for handling the case in a fair manner. Webster said in a 1987 interview that he supported capital punishment, but did not believe it would be re-established in Canada.
Webster became chief of detectives, and was eventually chosen to lead the force in Scarborough
. In 1976, he became leader of the force in Etobicoke
with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He once declined an offer to become deputy police chief of Metro Toronto. Had he accepted the offer, he could have become the city's Chief of Police.
He retired from the force in 1988, but returned to work as an official historian at the Toronto Police Museum. In 1991, he published an autobiography entitled Copper Jack: My Life on the Force, co-written with mystery writer Rosemary Aubert. He moved to Winnipeg
in 2000 to spend more time with his family. His daughter, Rosemary Vodrey
, was a senior cabinet minister in the Manitoba
provincial government of Gary Filmon
during the 1990s.
Webster died in 2002, at age 78. Veteran Toronto Star
crime reporter Gwyn "Jocko" Thomas spoke at his funeral, and described him as a "superb police officer".
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Webster was born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to an immigrant family from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. At age sixteen, he lied about his age to join the Royal Canadian Engineers; he later said that he was afraid World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
would already be over if he waited until the legal age of eighteen. Webster was in the army for five years, and served in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
He joined the Toronto police force on the same day he was discharged from the army in 1945, and was assigned to a street patrol on Queen Street West. He once identified a person he had seen on his beat as escaped German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
Wolfgang Friedlander, which nearly led to Friedlander's capture in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
(Friedlander later turned himself in, fearing his identity would be discovered). Webster was the last constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
to ride a bicycle on his beat, and was the last Toronto policeman to wear a bobby's helmet and tight-necked tunic on duty. In 1958, he was appointed to the city's newly-formed Robbery Squad.
Webster later became commander of Toronto's homicide squad, and is credited with solving 85 murders. One of the murderers he helped capture was Detroit gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
Arthur Lucas
Arthur Lucas
Arthur Lucas, originally from the U.S. state of Georgia, was one of the two last people to be executed in Canada, on December 11, 1962. Lucas had been convicted of the murder of an undercover narcotics agent from Detroit...
, who was one of the last two criminals executed in Canada before abolition of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
. Webster recounted that before his execution, Lucas calmly thanked Webster and his partner for handling the case in a fair manner. Webster said in a 1987 interview that he supported capital punishment, but did not believe it would be re-established in Canada.
Webster became chief of detectives, and was eventually chosen to lead the force in Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
. In 1976, he became leader of the force in Etobicoke
Etobicoke, Ontario
Etobicoke is a dissolved municipality located within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the western section of the current city, it had an official population of 338,117 as measured by the 2001 Census and 334,491 people as of the 2006 Census. While it only contains 13% of...
with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He once declined an offer to become deputy police chief of Metro Toronto. Had he accepted the offer, he could have become the city's Chief of Police.
He retired from the force in 1988, but returned to work as an official historian at the Toronto Police Museum. In 1991, he published an autobiography entitled Copper Jack: My Life on the Force, co-written with mystery writer Rosemary Aubert. He moved to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
in 2000 to spend more time with his family. His daughter, Rosemary Vodrey
Rosemary Vodrey
Rosemary Vodrey is a former politician in Manitoba, Canada. She was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1990 to 1999, and was a senior cabinet minister of the government of Gary Filmon.-Early life and career:...
, was a senior cabinet minister in the Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
provincial government of Gary Filmon
Gary Filmon
Gary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
during the 1990s.
Webster died in 2002, at age 78. Veteran Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
crime reporter Gwyn "Jocko" Thomas spoke at his funeral, and described him as a "superb police officer".