Stephen Michael Pavlov

Divisions Served: “K”

Medals & Honours: Long Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal with Bronze Clasp, Police Officers Long Service and Good Conduct Medal for Province of Alberta

Pillar Location: This Nameplate has not yet been mounted onto the Pillars, but will be on display in the Centre in the interim.

Story: 

Born August 29, 1955 in Windsor ON of Serbian heritage to parents Donald and Deanna (Jovanovic) Pavlov. Oldest of three children. Two sisters Julianna (Swartz) and Georgina (Boow). Attended Walkerville Colligate Institute and the University of Windsor graduating in 1980 with a BA in Social Science from the faculty of Communication Studies. Married Patricia (Beauchamp) in May of 1981 and embarked on a career in Insurance with Confederation Life. Left Confederation Life for Newman Transportation and Terminals (Marine Division) as a marketing executive. Primary responsibility was to develop the cargo market for the package freighter operated by Newman Terminals on the Great Lakes along with general development of marketing material for the company.

Left Newman Transportation and Terminals to work for Trillium Cable as a cameraman in the news department before finally applying to the RCMP in 1984. Completed the application process that same year, however, was deferred as Depot Division had been closed due to fiscal restraints and was no longer accepting recruits.

Application re-activated in 1985 and finally sworn into the force on March 14, 1986 at O Division Headquarters Toronto ON by Inspector E. J. Findlay along with troop mates Keith Finn and Greg Lester.

Reported to RCMP Training Academy Depot Division Regina SK a few days after being sworn in and was assigned to Troop 17 for basic recruit training as the last troop for the 1985/86 training year. Ironically, it was a return to familial roots as Regina SK was where paternal grandparents first settled in Canada when they had immigrated from what was once the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1927. My father was born in Regina in 1928.

Graduated from basic recruit training in September of 1986 and given two weeks to return to Windsor ON to pack our belongings in preparation for the move cross country to my first posting in the city of Grande Prairie in the province of Alberta. Left friends and family behind and drove through the United States, Saskatchewan and finally Alberta while on route. Reported for duty in mid October to Grande Prairie Detachment to OIC Inspector Don McDermid (latter A/Comm. McDermid CO K Division) where I spent the next 5 years in General Duty Municipal/ Rural Policing, City Traffic Unit and acted as Auxiliary Police Coordinator for the detachment. Participated in the security detail for the Royal visit of HRH Prince Andrew and his wife the Duchess of York during their visit to the city. While in Grande Prairie I became a volunteer with the Grande Prairie Stompede, a professional rodeo and chuckwagon event, serving on the board of directors for two years and the final two as president. It was the beginning of a 25-year career on the business side of professional rodeo along with my policing career. Our first son Nikolas was born in Grande Prairie in November of 1990.

Transferred to Jasper National Park in November 1991, on my son’s first birthday, and reported for duty to S/Sgt. Robert Beckwith detachment commander Jasper Detachment RCMP. Spent the next 20 and a half years policing the park in General Duties, Highway Patrol, National Parks Federal Policing Unit and Auxiliary Police Coordinator. Was a member of the security team for the Premiers Conference held at the Jasper Park Lodge in 1996 and security detail for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the II visit to Jasper during the Centenary for the province of Alberta in 2005. Was active in the community once again as a volunteer most notably with the Jasper Heritage Rodeo for 20 years, the last 10 as either vice president or president, and the Canada Winter Games in 1994 as Assistant Director Protocol and Ceremonies. Charter member of the Jasper Rotary Club, member of the Jasper Lions Club, and volunteered with the Alberta Winter Games along with numerous other volunteer positions in the community over subsequent years. Our second son Peter was born in Jasper in February of 1994.

After a 26-year career and final position as senior constable at Jasper Detachment, I took my discharge to pension on the same day as my engagement in the force of March 14 in the year 2012 and have retired in Jasper.