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{{Short description|Canadian police officer (1926–2023)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name               = Robert Simmonds
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|OC}} [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|CStJ]]
| image              = 
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| order              = 17th
| office             = Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
| term_start         = September 1, 1977
| term_end           = August 31, 1987
| predecessor        = [[Maurice Nadon]]
| successor          = [[Norman Inkster]]
| birth_name         = Robert Henry Simmonds
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1926|4|6}}
| birth_place        = [[Keatley, Saskatchewan]], Canada
| death_date         = {{death date and age|2023|1|17|1926|4|6}}
| death_place        = [[Ottawa, Ontario]], Canada
| spouse             = 
| children           = 
| parents            = 
| relatives          = 
| residence          = 
| alma_mater         = 
| occupation         = 
| profession         = [[Police officer]]
| known_for          = 
| awards             = {{plainlist|
* [[RCMP Long Service Medal]] (1967)
* [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Order of St. John]] (1978)
* [[Order of Canada]] (1987)
}}
| signature          = 
| signature_alt      = 
| website            = 
}}

'''Robert Henry Simmonds''' {{post-nominals|country=CAN|size=100%|OC|CStJ}} (April 6, 1926 – January 17, 2023) was a Canadian police officer who served as the 17th [[commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] (RCMP) from 1977 to 1987.

== Early life and career ==
Robert Henry Simmonds was born on April 6, 1926, in Keatley near Hafford, [[Saskatchewan]]. Simmonds grew up on a farm and was educated in a one-room schoolhouse. He joined the Royal Navy [[Fleet Air Arm]], served overseas during the last year of the Second World War.

== RCMP career ==
Simmonds joined the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] on April 23, 1947, where he trained at “Depot” Division in Regina. The following year, while touring with the RCMP Musical Ride, he performed highway patrols in Edmonton. He was subsequently posted to “K” Division, serving [[Edmonton]], Innisfail, Three Hills, Wetaskiwin, Hanna and [[Calgary]].

In 1953, Simmonds was part of the Canadian Contingent during the [[Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II]] in England. In 1957, he moved to Calgary Subdivision as a Criminal Investigator. In 1966 he moved to [[Burnaby]], British Columbia as Sub-Inspector, but transferred to [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] in 1971 to work in the staffing and personnel department. Three years later, he was promoted to Superintendent and charged with commanding the Victoria Subdivision. In 1976, Simmonds was promoted from Chief Superintendent to Deputy Commissioner of Administration in [[Ottawa]]. On September 1, 1977, he was appointed Commissioner of the RCMP.

Simmonds was supportive of the organization of a British Columbia Police commission to mediate between police and the public. He felt that the RCMP should conduct themselves in an ethical manner and be accountable to the Government for their actions. In 1984, the RCMP Security Service was replaced by the [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service]] (CSIS). Throughout his term in office, Simmonds guided the Force through a time of heavy media scrutiny because of a series of sensational criminal investigations the Government was involved in at the time. He employed great discretion in speaking to the public and the media in order to avoid compromising the cases. Heavily active during his term as Commissioner, Simmonds was named Vice President of the International Criminal Police Organization ([[Interpol]]), as well as the [[Dominion of Canada Rifle Association]].

== Post-RCMP career ==
After retiring in 1987, he negotiated peace between warring tribes in [[South Africa]] and became the senior law enforcement officer of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC) in Vienna.

Simmonds died in [[Ottawa, Ontario]] on January 17, 2023, at the age of 96.<ref>{{cite news |title=Half-mast for former RCMP commissioner |url=https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca/fort-st-john/half-mast-for-former-rcmp-commissioner-6410473 |access-date=30 January 2023 |publisher=Alaska Highway News |date=20 January 2023}}</ref>

== Honours ==
Simmonds was awarded the [[RCMP Long Service Medal]] in 1967, accompanied by the bronze Clasp in 1972. He received the [[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]] in 1977, appointed [[Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)|Commander of the Order of St. John]] in 1978, and received the [[Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/126-104655 | title=Commissioner Robert H. Simmonds }}</ref> He became an Honorary patron of the Parents’ Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE), whose primary goal was the prevention and reduction of drug use among youth. In 1987, he was appointed an Officer of the [[Order of Canada]].

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/canadiancavalry/rcmpsimmonds.htm|title=Robert Simmonds|accessdate=June 25, 2006}}
*RCMP Museum -- ''Friendly Notes'' Vol.14, No.3, Summer 2005

{{start box}}
{{s-civ|pol}}
{{succession box|title=[[Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police]]|
                 before=[[Maurice Nadon]]|
                 after=[[Norman Inkster]]|
                 years=1977–1987}}
{{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simmonds, Robert}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:Fleet Air Arm personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of Canada]]
[[Category:Royal Canadian Mounted Police commissioners]]