Alexander Decoteau was a Cree policeman, Olympic athlete and soldier. He was born 19 November 1887 on the Red Pheasant Indian Reserve near North Battleford in Saskatchewan, Canada and died on 30 October 1917 in Belgium.

• He was the second youngest of five children born to Peter Decoteau and Mary Decoteau.
• Peter Decoteau was employed by the Indian department for many years up until his death.
• His father was murdered when Alexander was 3 years old. His mother could not support all children and asked that three of them be placed in nearby Battleford industrial school.
• Alexander attended Battleford where he was a good student and exceptional athlete. He excelled at boxing, cricket, soccer and running.
• When he finished school Alexander moved to Edmonton to work in a machine shop owned by his brother-in-law.
• In May 1909 Alexander ran his first competitive race in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and placed second.
• In June 1909 he placed first in a five mile race held during the Edmonton Exhibition.
• Alexander set a new western Canadian record in his next race, the Mayberry Cup in Lloydminster at the Saskatchewan/Alberta border, finishing in 27 minutes 45.2 seconds.
• In 1909 Decoteau left the machine shop and joined the Edmonton Police Force.
• Decoteau was the first Aboriginal police officer in Canada and one of the first motorcycle policemen in Edmonton.
• In 1910 Alexander raced competitively with the Irish-Canadian Racing Club. His racing accomplishments include winning the Calgary Herald's Christmas Day Road Race three times, the Hon. C.W.Cross Challenge Cross in Edmonton five times, and the 10 mile race in Fort Saskatchewan three times.
• In 1912 Alexander represented Canada in the Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden. He competed in the 5,000 meter event. He placed second in his qualifying heat and was running in third place when after the 4th lap he developed leg cramps and finished in 8th place.
• He returned to policing and was promoted to Sergeant in 1914.
• He continued to run competitively using the colors of the Edmonton police station.
• In 1916 Alexander enlisted in the Canadian Army, where he served as a runner in the trenches during the First World War serving with the 49th Canadian Battalion
• In October 1917 the 49th Battalion participated in the battle on Passchendaele Ridge.
• On 30 October 1917 Alexander was killed by a sniper's bullet during an attack on the German line.
• He is buried in the Passchendaele New British Cemetery along with 649 other Canadian soldiers.
• In 1985, Alexander's friends and family gathered in Edmonton to hold a ceremony to bring his spirit home. Members of the Red Pheasant band Council, First Nations vétérans, représentatives from the Canadian Armed forces and a 10-member honor guard from the Edmonton Police Service all attended the ceremony.
• Alexander Decoteau was inducted into the Edmonton City Police Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, The Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan First Nations Sport Hall of Fame.He was also named as one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century.
• A park in Edmonton, Alberta will be named after Alex Decoteau. The park is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Sources and Further Reading

• RCMP Gazette
• Enyclopedia of Saskatchewan
• Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame
• 49th Battalion
• Wikipédia
• Canadian Biography
• Aboriginal Multimedia Society
• Edukit Alex Decoteau

Notes

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