Harvison, Clifford W., 1902-1968 : Clifford W. Harvison was born in 1902 in Montreal, Quebec and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1919 he joined the North West Mounted Police, as the Force was then known, in Regina as Constable. He was stationed in Montreal in 1921 on Criminal Investigation Branch (C.I.B.) duties. Promoted to Corporal in 1922, Harvison left the Force in 1923 to join the staff of Better Business Bureau in Montreal as head of their Investigation Department.
Harvison rejoined the Force, now known as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in 1932 as Constable, and was again employed until 1938 in the C.I.B. in Montreal on investigations of narcotic drugs, counterfeiting and frauds against the federal government and towards the end of that period on Special Branch duties. He was promoted to Corporal in 1932 and to Sergeant in 1937.
Promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector in 1938, Harvison was placed in charge of C.I.B. Quebec Division, including Special Branch. He was promoted to the rank of Inspector in 1940 and continued as officer in charge of C.I.B. for Quebec Division. Apart from Criminal Investigations, the work included the direction of counter-intelligence against Nazi facists and Communists, and the operation of several double agents. In 1943 he spent several months in the United Kingdom working with the Intelligence Services. His duties in Montreal included setting up security arrangements for important visitors, including Sir Winston Churchill, President Roosevelt and delegates to the Quebec Conferences.
In 1945 Harvison was stationed in Winnipeg, Manitoba as Officer in charge of C.I.B., including Special Branch. He remained there until 1950, except during 1945-1946 when he was posted temporarily to Ottawa to handle interrogations in the Gouzenko case. Promoted to the rank of Superintendent in 1949, Harvison was stationed the next year in British Columbia as Officer in charge of C.I.B. and Special Branch.
Harvison returned to Ottawa in 1953 when he was promoted to Assistant Commissioner and posted to Headquarters as Director of Operations and Criminal Investigations. From 1954 to 1956 he was Director of Security and Intelligence at Headquarters. Harvison was then posted in 1956 to British Columbia, the largest Division of the Force, as Officer commanding. He was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner in 1959 and transferred to Headquarters to control the work of C.I.B. and Security and Intelligence Directories.
In 1960 Harvison was appointed Commissioner. He attended meetings in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe with heads of other Police and Intelligence Services. For several years he was also the Canadian delegate to Interpol and attended meetings in Washington and western Europe.
Harvison retired as Commissioner in October 1963. He was the last member of the Force who had served with the fore-runners of the RCMP. In 1965-1966 he carried out an extensive survey of security in Trinidad. He also wrote an autobiography entitled "The Horsemen." Harvison died 12 February 1968 in Ottawa.
