Lawrence Herchmer

Lawrence William Herchmer (25 April 1840 – 17 February 1915) was a Canadian and British police commander and army officer, who was also employed as a farmer, brewer and civil servant. He served as the fifth Commissioner of the North-West Mounted Police,^[1] from April 1, 1886 to July 31, 1900.^[2]

Born in Shipton-on-Cherwell, England,^[3] Herchmer served with the British Army and, during 1872–4, as supply officer of the British Boundary Commission, then as Indian agent in Manitoba in 1876.^[3] He was named RCMP Commissioner in 1886.^[3]

Although a former military officer, he had not served in the police, and was a civilian at the time he was named as Commissioner of the force.^[2]^[4]

Herchmer was "a capable administrator",

Canadian Army in South Africa. Herchmer considered his firing unjust, and continued to say so until his death.^[3]

Herchmer introduced the wide-brimmed hats (later adopted as official uniform), and the famous musical ride display of horsemanship.[2]

His family had connections with John A. Macdonald, first prime minister of Canada, who appointed him. He had the political backing to make many important changes to the administration and organization of the force.

He died in Vancouver, British Columbia at 74.^[3]

References

^ Now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Horrall, S. W. (1998). "Herchmer, Lawrence William". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XIV (1911–1920) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Horrall, S.W. (15 December 2013) [28 January 2008]. "Lawrence Herchmer". The Canadian Encyclopedia (online ed.). Historica Canada.
^ The news media described William J. S. Elliott, appointed in 2007, but who had not served in the armed forces or the police, as the first civilian RCMP commissioner.CBC News,CanWest Archived 2007-12-17 at the Wayback Machine