Constable Johnston Cochrane
Victoria Police Department
British Columbia
End of Watch: Thursday, June 2, 1859

Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Not available
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available

Constable Cochrane was employed by the Colony of Vancouver Island as a Police Constable keeping the peace in the early years of Fort Victoria. Victoria Police, also known as Victoria Metropolitan Police.

Johnston Cochrane was however, shot and murdered under mysterious circumstances on June 2nd, 1859, near the "Craigflower" area. A number of initial suspects came to light during the investigations that followed Cochrane's funeral on the 4th of June. One suspect was arrested and charged but released 10 days later due to a "water-tight" alibi.

A second suspect, who had originally discovered Cochrane's body. By the 21st of June, these charges were also dismissed for lack of evidence. A lasting impression from the local press was to attribute blame to the local "Indian population," due to the official actions that Constable Cochrane had taken during incidents on the Native settlements and specifically for Cochranes aid to Sheriff Heaton during the removal of persons from a local encampment.

Constable Johnston Cochrane was buried in the "Old Burying Grounds," now referred to as Pioneer Park. In 1995, a memorial including Johnston Cochrane's name was erected in Pioneer Park for those persons who died while service the Crown during the mid 1800's. The murder was never solved.