Meritorious Service Medal

• Awarded on: November 15, 2001
• Invested on: September 27, 2002

Constable Brad Anderson, M.S.M., Sydney, N.S.
Staff Sergeant John Badowski, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Detective Audrey Chen, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
David J. Gummo, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Constable Tammi Inwood, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Sergeant William D. Kemp, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Constable Michael Marchen, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Constable Gary McBratney, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.
Constable Larry Smith, M.S.M., Toronto, Ont.

Meritorious Service Medal (civil division)

In September 1994, during the Rwanda civil war, each of these nine individuals from the Toronto Police Service went to Africa, at his or her own time and expense, to provide humanitarian aid at refugee camps in neighbouring Zaire, where approximately 250,000 Rwandans were displaced. Undeterred by extreme living conditions, gunfire and threats by armed soldiers, they carried on with their mission, digging drainage ditches, building a makeshift hospital out of rock, distributing food, and caring for terminally-ill babies, as well as collecting and burying the dead. The devotion and determination shown by these nine individuals in the midst of a humanitarian tragedy brought credit to themselves and honour to Canada.