Manitoba’s Fallen Officers

26th Annual MACP Police and Peace Officer Memorial

September 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m.

Manitoba Memorial Monuments

Memorial Park (Osborne & Broadway), Winnipeg

Richard Power, Chief of Police, July 28, 1880 – George De Beaujeu, Constable #2439, September 10, 1890 – Harry Morphy, Corporal #2161, September 10, 1890 – John William Clarkson, Constable, November 17, 1905 – Walter S. Flood, Assistant Surgeon #0.148, November 29, 1906 – John Beattie, Constable, April 13, 1911 – Charles Rooke, Constable, February 3, 1913 – Bernard Snowdon, Constable, April 16, 1918 – Anton Fladeby, Correctional Officer, May 11, 1919 – Alex McCurdy, Morality Officer, November 11, 1920 – James Uttley, Morality Officer, November 16, 1920 – John Williams, Correctional Officer, June 26, 1926 – David G. White, Constable, June 15, 1927 – Richard H. Nicholson, Sergeant #5611, December 31, 1928 – Donald R. MacDonell, Constable #10399, April 19, 1931 – Norman Massan, Special Constable #S-822, April 19, 1931 – John Verne, Sergeant, July 24, 1934 – William Wainwright, Constable, October 4, 1935 – John G. Shaw, Constable #11582, October 4, 1935 – Charles Gillis, Constable, February 7, 1936 – John McDonald, Constable, February 10, 1940 – Edwin L. Pearse, Guard, November 11, 1943 – James E. Sims, Detective Sergeant, July 16, 1950 – Ronald C. Bloomfield, Constable #16141, July 9, 1954 – Joseph K. Sander, Constable #14819, July 9, 1954 – Joseph T. Thompson, Constable #18200, December 18, 1961 – Ervin J. Giesbrecht, Corporal #17644, June 20, 1964 – Thomas P. Carroll, Constable #20388, February 11, 1966 – Charles Morrish, Conservation Officer, April 3, 1966 – William McLeod, Conservation Officer, May 12, 1967 – George R. Hawkins, Corporal #19758, June 6, 1968 – Leonard Shakespeare, Constable, July 18, 1969 – Ronald Houston, Detective, June 27, 1970 – James A. O’Malley, Sergeant #15190, October 28, 1970 – Harold S. Seigel, Constable #22976, September 26, 1971 – Stanley Green, Instructor SMP, July 22, 1974 – Allam Assiniboine, Conservation Officer, July 27, 1976 – Dennis A. Onofrey, Constable #32104, January 23, 1978 – Bruce L. Davis, Constable #30791, January 9, 1979 – Robert C. Logan, Conservation Officer, November 3, 1983 – Werner R. Friesen, Living Unit Officer SMP, July 13, 1984 – Joseph G. Wendl, Living Unit Officer SMP, July 13, 1984 – Robert W.C. Thomas, Special Constable #S2886, March 6, 1986 – Keith M. Barley, Conservation Officer, November 29, 1989 – Malcolm N. Williams, Sergeant #29743, April 28, 1995 – Ken Skwark, Conservation Officer, June 28, 1995 – Peter Magdic, Constable #48139, November 18, 2001 – Dennis Strongquill, Constable #40120, December 21, 2001 – Rhonda Commodore, Correctional Officer, November 6, 2014 – Allan D. Poapst, Constable, December 13, 2019

Cst. Allan Poapst

December 13, 2019

Motor Vehicle Collision

RCMP – Headingley

Died in a motor vehicle collision involving his patrol car and a truck on the Perimeter Highway.

Rhonda Commodore, Correctional Officer

November 6, 2014

Motor Vehicle Collision

Manitoba Corrections

Died in a motor vehicle collision while transporting inmates from The Pas to Dauphin.

Cst. Dennis Strongquill

December 21, 2001

Gun Shot

RCMP – Waywayseecappo

After stopping a truck that matched the description of a vehicle involved in an armed robbery, the suspects shot at him, chased him into Russell, rammed into his car, and shot him. 

Cst. Peter Magdic

November 18, 2001

RCMP – Portage la Prairie

Died in a single motor vehicle collision near Southport when his patrol vehicle rolled over and he was thrown from the vehicle.

Sgt. Malcolm Williams

April 28, 1995

RCMP – Winnipeg

Died in a single motor vehicle collision on the Perimeter Highway while returning to Winnipeg from Dauphin.

Conservation Officer Ken Skwark

June 28, 1995

Manitoba Conservation

Killed along with two firefighters and a pilot when the helicopter they were in crashed into the Churchill River during forest fire operations near Leaf Rapids.

Conservation Officer Keith Bartley

November 29, 1989

Manitoba Conservation

Involved in a motor vehicle collision with another conservation vehicle while attempting to apprehend an illegal night hunter.

Special Cst. Robert W. C. Thomas

March 6, 1986

RCMP – Powerview

Shot in the back while returning to his patrol car after offering assistance to a motorist who turned out to be a police hater.

Living Unit Officer Werner R. Friesen

July 13, 1984

Correctional Service Canada

Fatally stabbed by inmates while attempting to lock them up at the end of the night.

Living Unit Officer Joseph Wendl

July 13, 1984

Correctional Service Canada

Fatally stabbed by inmates while attempting to lock them up at the end of the night.

Conservation Officer Robert Logan

November 3, 1983

Manitoba Conservation

Involved in a single-vehicle motor collision on highway 5 near Lake Dauphin.

Cst. Bruce Davis

January 9, 1979

RCMP – Portage la Prairie

Died in a motor vehicle collision with a train near Portage la Prairie.

Cst. Dennis A. Onofrey

January 23, 1978

RCMP – Virden

Shot while in a motel doorway while investing a reported stolen vehicle parked in a Virden motel parking lot.

Conservation Officer Allan Assiniboine

July 27, 1976

Manitoba Conservation

Drowned in Lake Winnipegosis when the boat he and three other conservation officers were operating exploded due to a motor gas leak.

Instructor Stanley Green

July 22, 1974

Correctional Service Canada

While working as an instructor, he was attacked by an inmate in the carpentry shop.

Cst. Harold S. Seigel

September 26, 1971

RCMP – St.Pierre

Shot while attempting to remove a mentally distressed youth who was barricaded in his home in Isle Des Chenes.

Detective Ronald Houston

June 27, 1970

Winnipeg Police Force

Stabbed during a stakeout while trying attempting to arrest a violent sex offender.

Sgt. James A. O’Malley

October 28, 1970

RCMP – Gillam

Drowned in the Kettle River after his boat overturned while searching for a drowning victim.

Cst. Leonard Shakespeare

July 18, 1969

St. Boniface Police Force

Shot during an armed robbery.

Cpl. George R. Hawkins

June 6, 1968

RCMP – Turtle Mountain

Died as a result of encephalitis directly related to a tick bite he suffered while tracking a suspect in the Turtle Mountains.

Conservation Officer William McLeod

May 12, 1967

Manitoba Conservation

Died from complications after being shot in the leg with a shotgun in 1964 by a trapper who was denied a permit.

Cst. Thomas P. Carroll

February 11, 1966

RCMP – Churchill

Died following the crash of a charter plane at Cyril while returning from patrol to Shamattawa.

Conservation Officer Charles Morrish

April 3, 1966

Manitoba Conservation

Drowned after his all-terrain vehicle broke through the ice on Reder Lake while he was patrolling trap lines.

Cpl. Ervin J. Giesbrecht

June 20, 1964

RCMP – Grand Rapids

Drowned after his patrol car drove off the coffer dam and into the water at Hybord.

Cst. Joseph T. Thompson

December 18, 1961

RCMP – Selkirk

Died from his injuries after an aircraft’s landing gear struck and crushed the top of his patrol car in Lethbridge, Alberta in 1957.

Cst. Joseph K. Sander

July 9, 1954

RCMP – Swan River

Drowned after the boat he was patrolling in struck a bridge and flipped near Barrows.

Cst. Ronald C. Bloomfield

July 9, 1954

RCMP – Swan River

Drowned after the boat he was patrolling in struck a bridge and flipped near Barrows.

Det. Sgt. James E. Sims

July 16, 1950

Winnipeg Police Force

Shot with a shotgun during a domestic dispute.

Guard Edwin Pearse

November 11, 1943

Manitoba Corrections

Attacked by three youth males while they escaped from Vaughan Street Jail.

Cst. John McDonald

February 10, 1940

Winnipeg Police Force

Shot during a stakeout for a break and enter and safe breaking.

Cst. Charles Gillis

February 7, 1936

Winnipeg Police Force

Died from injuries sustained after being shot during a service station robbery on January 24, 1936.

Cst. William Wainwright

October 4, 1935

Benito Town

Shot, along with RCMP Cst. John Shaw, during the escort of three prisoners to a lockup in Arron, Saskatchewan.

Two more RCMP officers were killed by the same escapees in Alberta four days later.

Cst. John G. Shaw

October 4, 1935

RCMP – Swan River

Shot, along with Benito Town Police Cst William Wainwright, during the escort of three prisoners to a lockup in Arron, Saskatchewan.

Two more RCMP officers were killed by the same escapees in Alberta four days later.

Sgt. John Verne

July 24, 1934

St. Boniface Police Force

Shot while attmpting to arrest an armed robber.

Cst, Donald R. MacDonell

April 19, 1931

RCMP – Port Nelson

Froze to death after the camp he was at with Special Constable Norman Massan flooded overnight near the Fourteen River.

Special Cst. Norman Massan

April 19, 1931

RCMP – Port Nelson

Froze to death after the camp he was at with Constable Donald MacDonell flooded overnight near the Fourteen River.

Sgt. Richard H. Nicholson

December 31, 1928

RCMP – Lac Du Bonnet

Shot during a liquor raid on a farm near Molson.

Cst. David G. White

June 15, 1927

Winnipeg Park Police

Struck by a vehicle while on duty in Assiniboine Park.

Guard John Williams

June 25, 1926

Correctional Service Canada

While supervising an inmate work group he was struck by blasting rock.

Morality Officer James Uttley

November 16, 1920

Manitoba Provincial Police

Shot along with Morality Officer Alex McCurdy, and a third officer, during a liquor raid at the Stockyards Hotel in St Boniface on November 11, 1920.

Morality Officer Alex McCurdy

November 11, 1920

Manitoba Provincial Police

Shot along with Morality Officer James Uttley, and a third officer, during a liquor raid at the Stockyards Hotel in St Boniface on November 11, 1920.

Guard Anton Fladeby

May 11, 1919

Correctional Service Canada

Stabbed by an inmate on May 2, 1919.

Cst. Bernard Snowdon

April 6, 1918

Winnipeg Police Force

Shot after interrupting three men committing a shop break.

Cst. Charles Rooke

February 3, 1913

Manitoba Provincial Police

Shot on January 26, 1913, while attempting to arrest a man on a warrant at a remote cabin in the Riding Mountains near Dauphin.

Cst. John Beattie

April 13, 1911

Winnipeg Police Force

Electrocuted while at the scene of a fire after his leg brushed against a live wire.

Ass’t Surgeon Walter Flood

November 29, 1906

NWMP/RNWMP/RCMP

Died from exposure on dog sled patrol while backtracking to recover lost supplies.

Cst. John W. Clarkson

November 17, 1905

Treherne, Manitoba

While serving as town Constable in Treherne he was gunned down while serving papers on a farm to a male who was delinquent in paying his debts.

Cpl. Harry Morphy

September 10, 1890

NWMP/RNWMP/RCMP

Drowned, along with Cst George De Beaujeu, while on patrol on Lake Winnipeg after their vessel capsized.

Cst. George De Beaujeu

September 10, 1890

NWMP/RNWMP/RCMP

Drowned, along with Cpl. Harry Morphy, while on patrol on Lake Winnipeg after their vessel capsized.

Chief Richard Power

July 28, 1880

Manitoba Provincial Police

Drowned, along with his prisoner, after the prisoner he was escorting across the river from St. Boniface to Winnipeg stepped on the gunwale, causing their boat to tip.

Forever Remembered

Background

In 1998 the Government of Canada Proclaimed the last Sunday in September of every year as the Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day. A service is held annually at 11:00 am on Parliament Hill. Police and Law Enforcement agencies from across Canada and representatives from the Government of Canada attend the ceremony.

On January 17, 2003, Canadian Heritage declared the last Sunday of September of every year as a nation-wide flag half-masting on all federal buildings and establishments in Canada, including the Peace Tower, from sunrise to sunset in honour of our fallen officers. These official proclamations are a fitting sign of respect, not only to those gathered on the hill but also for those who made the ultimate tragic sacrifice to keep our communities safe and our environment protected.

A few years later, the Manitoba Association of Chiefs of police began organizing a local Memorial Service meant to honour the Police and Peace Officers who lost their lives while serving the citizens of Manitoba. The ceremony is coordinated to take place in conjunction with the National Memorials in Ottawa.

Manitoba Memorial Monuments

Located on the northeast corner of Broadway Avenue and Osborne Street North. (MAP), the memorial is a combined tribute to Manitoba Peace and Police Officers,  Firefighters, and Labour Workers.

Construction began in 2020 and includes a reflecting pool where visitors can pause to remember the fallen. The Police/Peace Officer and Firefighter granite slabs have the names of the fallen inscribed on the back.

Donate to the Manitoba Fallen Officer’s Memorial Fund

Memorial Ribbon Dress and Deportment

The memorial ribbon is worn on the left pocket flap, close to the wearer’s right edge of that pocket.

Ribbons are worn the week prior to National Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day until the end of the day on Memorial Day or
until the day following the conclusion of funeral services in the case of a fallen officer.

The history of the ribbon may be reviewed at the following link –  https://www.memorialribbon.org/about/history/.

For guidance on wearing the ribbon, and other manners of dress, including civilian attire, please see the
link – https://www.memorialribbon.org/about/protocol/.