Manitoba First Nations Police Service chief believed dead in house fire

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This article was published 08/01/2025 (334 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Human remains believed to those of Manitoba First Nations Police Service Chief Doug Palson were found in the rubble of a house that burned to the ground northeast of Portage la Prairie on Wednesday morning.

Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council Police Commission chair Sherri Thomas and Manitoba RCMP confirmed the fire occurred at Palson’s home just north of the small community of High Bluff.

Firefighters and RCMP officers from Portage were called to the scene at about 4:50 a.m.

Human remains were found after firefighters extinguished the blaze. The person’s identity has not yet been confirmed, and the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, RCMP said.

“Although the investigation is ongoing, we believe that Chief Palson was the victim of this tragic incident,” Thomas said in a news release.

RCMP said the fire occurred at a home off of Road 30 West in the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie.

The news came as a shock to people who knew Palson. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said he was “deeply saddened.”

“Chief Palson led the Manitoba First Nations Police Service with vision and commitment, making our province safer for all Manitobans,” Wiebe said in a statement. “I will miss him dearly and I offer my sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”

Portage Mayor Sharilyn Knox, who crossed paths with Palson at local events, said it was “tragic news” when she learned of the fire. She said Palson was dedicated to the First Nations communities he served.

“On behalf of our council, we are definitely sad for Chief Palson’s family and friends,” she said.

Portage fire Chief Brad Bailey said a passerby called 911 to report the blaze.

“When our crew arrived on scene, they found a collapsed building burning,” Bailey said. “The building had already collapsed into its foundation.”

It was unclear how long the fire had been burning before the 911 call was made.

One person was found to be unaccounted for after crews extinguished the fire, Bailey said.

He said an investigator from the Office of the Fire Commissioner attended the scene with a search dog, which found human remains in the collapsed home.

“It’s always a sad day when somebody who’s dedicated to helping their community passes away,” Bailey said.

Thomas said MFNPS is working closely with the RCMP and OFC.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Chief Palson’s family as they deal with this tragedy. We are also sharing in the grief and loss which is being felt by the members of the Manitoba First Nations Police Service,” she said.

“We are all connected as a united police family at this time. Chief Palson was a passionate leader who loved our police service and its members who serve our 10 First Nation communities with pride and respect.”

The RCMP’s detachment in Portage and forensic identification services continue to investigate along with OFC.

Palson, who started his law enforcement career in Brandon in 1988, was remembered by former Brandon police chief and current Progressive Conservative MLA Wayne Balcaen, who worked with him in the Brandon Police Service.

“He did a lot of work in our training division, and was also one of the first individuals to be part of our reformed tactical response unit,” Balcaen said Wednesday evening. “We rose through the ranks together, and both of us got promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in 2005.”

The two men shared an office for a few years as they were in charge of the patrol sections of the force.

Balcaen, who remained close friends with Palson over the years, said what struck him most about the man was his presence and demeanour.

“He spoke so softly, but he was very well educated, and very well respected in policing circles,” Balcaen said. “He was one of those people who would listen to what was being said, and then move very pragmatically.”

Balcaen said he will remember his friend’s smile “when you could get one out of him.”

“As with policing and friendship or acquaintance, and everything else, he was no nonsense and very straight forward, matter of fact, and to the point.”

Palson started working as the chief of MFNPS in November 2021. At that time, he had more than 30 years of policing experience, a news release said.

MFNPS is based on Long Plain First Nation land adjacent to Portage. Before joining the service, Palson had been the chief of police in Dryden, Ont., since 2015.

A profile on the Rotary Club of Dryden’s website, published after Palson was a guest speaker at a meeting in 2016, said he was raised in Manitoba’s Interlake and was of Métis descent.

Before moving to Dryden, he was the chief of Manitoba’s Dakota Ojibway Police Service, which later changed its name to MFNPS, for seven years, a profile on MFNPS’ website said.

He was a recipient of the Governor General’s Officer Order of Merit Award and the Manitoba Excellence in Law Enforcement Award.

He was a past chair of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples Committee, and held executive positions with the First Nations Chiefs of Police Association.

— with files from Matt Goerzen in Brandon

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca