Provincial Constable of the OPP Walter Erik Howells, M.B.
Medal of Bravery
On May 14, 2006, while serving with the United Nations Police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Provincial Constable Erik Howells of the Ontario Provincial Police risked his life to lead his men to safety during a prison riot. From the rooftop of the building, prisoners hurled bricks and large pieces of concrete at the guards and police, who were forced to retreat. Noticing that a few officers had retreated to an unsafe area with no means of escape, Constable Howells returned alone to lead them back to the rest of the team. After hours of confrontation, reinforcements arrived to bring the situation under control.