Darrell Madill

Divisions Served: “F,” “V,” “G,” “D,” “M,” “HQ,” “Depot”

Medals & Honours: Long Service Medal with 35 year clasp, Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal, Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Force

Pillar Location: Pillar X, Row 12, Column B

Story: 

Howard Darrell Martin MADILL was born on October 2nd, 1954 in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, the son of Howard and Edith Madill. A few years later, his family moved from Pelly, Saskatchewan to Regina where Darrell completed his education, graduating from Central Collegiate in 1973. Darrell’s interest in public service developed as a teenager, first as an Army Cadet and then as an army reservist. He served with the Royal Regina Rifle Regiment for 3 years, attained the rank of corporal and amongst his many experiences was chosen to participate in a deployment to Germany. Immediately following his 18th birthday he applied for the RCMP and in late June 1973 he was told to report to Regina Detachment. On arrival he met with an Inspector who, after a few minutes, left the interview. When the Inspector returned he asked Darrell why he was there, to which Darrell replied to further his application in the RCMP. The Inspector advised Darrell he was about to be engaged in the Force and sent to Depot. After the shock wore off Darrell agreed going to Depot at 18 was likely not a good idea and instead returned to his Manitoba pipeline job that afternoon.
On October 9th, 1973, seven days after his 19th birthday, Darrell was engaged in the RCMP at Regina. He was immediately posted to Depot Division for recruit training as a member of Troop #18 (1973/74).
At the time of Darrell’s engagement RCMP policies required newly engaged recruits to be single males who were prohibited from marriage until they completed 3 years of service. Members departing Depot Division were highly mobile and were posted to locations of the highest need. In the early stages of his career, and like many of his peers, Darrell was subject to frequent transfers and, in his case, most of his postings were to isolated northern communities in Saskatchewan, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories. Darrell often cited these early postings as excellent learning opportunities. He considered those postings a privilege providing him, and eventually his family, with opportunities to experience and enjoy life in parts of Canada which most Canadians knew very little about.
Darrell left Depot in April 1974 to his first post, Tisdale Detachment (Saskatchewan), where he completed recruit field training. Isle a la Crosse Detachment (Saskatchewan) followed from November 1974 until November 1976 and then a posting to Pangnirtung Detachment (Nunavut) which was situated next to the Arctic Circle.
In the fall of 1975 Darrell attended a trial in Melfort, Saskatchewan where he met a female RCMP constable. That initial meeting led to a more lasting relationship and on April 2nd, 1977 Cst. H. Darrell M. Madill married Cst. Ruth C. AHENAKEW, Regimental #32396, of Melfort Detachment in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Ruth was in the 2nd troop of female members to ever join the RCMP as a regular member. Of more significance, she was the FIRST First Nation woman (a member of the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation) to join the RCMP as a regular member.
RCMP policies in 1977 did not permit female members to be posted to isolated communities, thus Ruth resigned from the Force a few days after their wedding so she could join her husband in the north. During their marriage they were blessed with four children, all of whom were born while Darrell and Ruth were posted in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. One of their children, Nora G. Madill, joined the RCMP in 2005 with Regimental #52807.
Besides Pangnirtung, Darrell’s postings in the north were: Iqaluit (Nunavut) January 1978 – July 1979; Fort Simpson (NWT) July 1979 – July 1981; Tungsten (NWT) July 1981 – July 1982; and Fort Simpson July 1982 – June 1983.
Cst. Madill was promoted to corporal and took command of Fort Liard Detachment (NWT) in June 1983. He eventually left the north and his career entailed the following postings and promotions:
• July 1985 – January 1992 Portage La Prairie (Manitoba)
• January 1992 – July 1994 HQ Ottawa – Promoted to Inspector (O.1629); seconded to the Government of Canada, Solicitor General’s Secretariat – Aboriginal Policing Directorate
• July 1994 – December 1999 – “F” Division HQ (Saskatchewan) Officer In Charge Aboriginal Policing
• December 1999 – January 2001 – “F” Division HQ Officer In Charge Major Crimes
• January 2001 – July 2004 – Commanding Officer “M” Division (Yukon) – Promoted to Chief Superintendent
• July 2004 – June 2008 – Commanding Officer “D” Division (Manitoba) – Promoted to Assistant Commissioner
• May 2008 – June 2011 – “HQ” Ottawa – Promoted to Deputy Commissioner Contract and Aboriginal Policing.
Darrell enjoyed a diverse career with the RCMP that included extensive experience at the local, divisional and corporate level which frequently involved intergovernmental and inter agency programming and initiatives. He believed himself very fortunate to have worked with Aboriginal people at the local, regional, provincial/territorial and national levels to develop, deliver, and enhance policing services for Aboriginal citizens and by extension all Canadians. The culmination of that experience and knowledge was a significant role in the development of the federal First Nations Policing Policy in Ottawa between 2001 and 2004. Darrell was the RCMP secondment to the federal Aboriginal Policing Directorate and tasked with the creation and implementation of the new policy through First Nation Tripartite Agreements. Darrell took that experience to Saskatchewan in 2001 as the Officer In Charge of Aboriginal Policing Services at “F” Division HQ. In that capacity he worked with federal, provincial and First Nation officials to negotiate and conclude several agreements with Saskatchewan First Nations for enhanced RCMP services. One especially satisfying highlight for Darrell was his participation in the negotiation and conclusion of a First Nation Policing Agreement for the expansion and enhancement of RCMP services at Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, the home of his wife and her family.
In January 2001 Darrell took command of “M” Division (Yukon) and was promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent. This transfer provided him an opportunity to return to Canada’s north and continue a special relationship with its citizens. All RCMP members consider the Yukon a cherished and unique posting and that was certainly true with Darrell. He treasured personal and frequent contact with division employees serving in the Yukon and never missed an opportunity to travel to detachments to experience their policing realities first hand. The transfer to Yukon did bring about some regret for Darrell and Ruth. Their oldest two daughters and son did not join them in Yukon and as a result, for the first time, a transfer resulted in physical splintering of the Madill family.
Chief Superintendent Madill took command of “D” Division (Manitoba) in June 2004, was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner, and assumed leadership of 1135 employees tasked with providing RCMP services to a very large and diverse province. During the next four years he accumulated countless memories but one he cherished was the occasion when members of a northern detachment, which was serviced only by aircraft, turned out to meet him in their Red Serge. Despite very challenging conditions in an extremely isolated detachment these members had not lost their pride in themselves or the Force. It was a moving and humbling tribute Darrell never forgot. Like all his postings Darrell found the years in “D” Division incredibly rewarding and his relationship with the Province and its citizens led him to settle in Manitoba after his retirement in 2011.
Throughout his career Darrell was an avid proponent of community policing and always sought opportunities to enhance relationships between the RCMP and the public through innovative and effective policing initiatives. In recognition of his experience and abilities, the Commissioner of the RCMP promoted Darrell to the rank of Deputy Commissioner and transferred him to HQ Ottawa to assume responsibility for the Contract and Aboriginal Policing Services national policy center in May 2008.
Deputy Commissioner Madill was tasked with the management, development and enhancement of national policies in support of contract policing services across Canada. Some of the more notable national policies he was responsible for were: enhancement of the Use of Force Policy (included development of all policies related to Conducted Energy Weapons); development of the Subject Behavior and Officer Response reporting program and accompanying policies; development of the RCMP Back-Up Policy; enhancement of the Incident Management/Intervention Management Model; and development and implementation of the External Investigation or Review policy.
While at HQ Darrell was assigned the most challenging and rewarding responsibility of his career. The Commissioner selected him as the RCMP representative responsible for the negotiation of the 20 year police service agreements. These agreements were due to expire in 2012 and were signed between the Government of Canada and individual provinces/territories, municipalities and First Nations for the provision of contracted RCMP police services. Apart from providing day to day police services these agreements provide participating Parties, including the Government of Canada, with access to the full breadth of RCMP policing services which can be scalable to address any situation, from local to national in scope. Darrell considered himself very fortunate to have a leading role in the development and negotiation of those agreements. While working closely with federal, provincial and territorial officials he played a key role in helping to modernize RCMP contract services and work with all Parties to ensure future RCMP policing services, as contemplated by those agreements, were professional, effective and efficient. Darrell believed the agreements were solid examples of Canada’s unique approach to community safety, furthermore they were evidence of the extraordinary innovation and value by which confederation benefits all Canadians.
Deputy Commissioner H. Darrell M. MADILL retired from the RCMP on June 22nd, 2011 after enjoying a career that lasted nearly 38 years.