Police officer.
Born in St. James in 1931, he worked as a hard dock miner at Sudbury, Ontario from 1948 to 1953. Having met his wife, Joan Doloris Johnston (1933–2018) when he was 15, the couple married in 1950 and went on to raise five children.
In 1954, he joined the Winnipeg Police Service, embarking on a distinguished 37-year career in law enforcement. He rose steadily through the ranks, serving successively as a Constable, Detective, Detective Sergeant, and Sergeant of Detectives in the Crime Division, before moving into leadership roles as Staff Inspector of the Juvenile and Major Crime Divisions. He later served as Executive Assistant to the Chief, Superintendent of Personnel and Training, and Superintendent of District 6, ultimately retiring in 1991 as the Deputy Chief of Police.
He was instrumental in creating the “Police and Pal” program, helped establish the James Toal Award of Excellence to honor exemplary young officers, and served as President of the Winnipeg Police Senior Officers’ Association. His commitment to public service continued after his law enforcement career; he served as a Commissioner for the Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Board for ten years, concluding his service in 2015.
For his long and meritorious service, he received a Police Exemplary Service Medal as well as the First Bar (1984).
He passed away at the Victoria Hospital on 8 March 2016.
Police Exemplary Service Medal [Paul Allan R. Johnston], The Governor General of Canada.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 12 March 2016.
Obituary [Joan Doloris Johnston], Winnipeg Free Press, 7 July 2018.
This page was prepared by Zeel Bulsara.
Page revised: 16 June 2026
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