Meritorious Service Medal
Awarded on: 2001-06-25
Invested on: 2001-10-12
Toronto Police Service Staff Sergeant George Clanfield, M.S.M., Port Sydney, Ont.
RCMP Corporal Magdi Saleh, M.S.M., Ottawa, Ont.
Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)
In September 1999, S/Sgt. Clanfield and Cpl. Saleh were employed with the United Nations as unarmed Civilian Police Observers in Dili, East Timor. They were tasked with advising the Indonesian police during the period leading to the public vote on independence, and providing security at the polling booths. During the violence which followed the publication of the vote results, they ignored several opportunities to evacuate, volunteering instead to stay to provide aid, food and shelter to refugees fleeing the violence, and to provide assistance to other UN personnel. S/Sgt. Clanfield and Cpl. Saleh’s actions brought credit to their respective police forces and to Canada.