During 1887-1888, the officer corps of the Kootenay Post consisted of four individuals: Superintendent Samuel Benfield Steele, commander; Inspector Zachary Taylor Wood, second-in-command; Inspector Charles Francois Albert Huot, adjutant; and Dr. Frederick Hamilton Powell, Assistant Surgeon. These four individuals were responsible for the seventy-five men of 'D' Division and the success of the mission.
Having all come from upper class families, these individuals were well accustomed to living an exceptionally rich lifestyle, unknown to most of the men who served under them. While the vast majority of officers were drawn from rich and influential families, non-commissioned ranks were often drawn from the middle and lower classes.

The most visible element of this division of class within the NWMP was in each rank's living conditions. The Officers' Quarters which was built at Kootenay Post in the fall of 1887 was the most luxurious building of the post, taking an estimated four months to construct. By comparison many of the other buildings at Kootenay Post took from four to eight weeks to complete.

The officers, while assuming a lot of responsibility, were also provided with many privileges including: personal servants, special shipping allowances and privileges, higher wages and private quarters. In comparison to the living conditions of NWMP constables, officers lived very well at remote posts such as Kootenay. Evidence shows, however, that they did not see this as the case and took every opportunity to raise such postings to their high standards of civility.

Items such as elaborate furniture, gourmet foods and expensive personal items were only a few of the many items that were purchased by NWMP officers. Services such as mail order catalogues and travelling salesmen facilitated such purchasing. Retail outlets like these often bragged that they could provide any item desired by someone on the frontier, as long as they had the money to pay for it.