January 18, 2010
Canadian police officers in Haiti continue to assist with humanitarian relief efforts and providing security on the ground while plans continue to facilitate their safe return. To date, 19 Canadian police officers have returned to Canada from Port-au-Prince. We are coordinating with partner police services to ensure a delegation from their home agency is on hand to meet incoming officers and provide them and their families with any assistance they should require.
SQ Inspector Michel Martin, the Canadian Contingent Commander, participated in a ceremony held in Port-au-Prince yesterday, led by the UN Secretary General, at the Hotel Christopher site to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the earthquake.
We continue to be in close contact with members on the ground as well as their families and home agencies. We continue to receive updates from Supt. Jean-Michel Blais, our senior officer who was deployed in recent days. Capitaine Claude Germain, a senior police officer from the Sûreté du Québec, has also arrived recently in Haiti to assist Supt. Blais in assessing the situation and assisting the needs of the Canadian police contingent.
The RCMP has sent additional communications equipment and medication to the Canadian police contingent. Two RCMP forensic experts depart to Haiti today as part of the UN/Interpol Disaster Victim Identification assessment team.
The new United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) Police Commissioner, Major-General Gerardo Chaumont, arrived in mission 16 January 2010, beginning his duties with an assessment of the mission. MINUSTAH priorities continue to be reconstitution of the Government of Haiti, including the provision of security by the Haitian National Police (HNP), provision of humanitarian aid, and search and rescue.
The RCMP is working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Department of National Defence and the United Nations to determine our future participation in this mission.
Plans are under way with the Canadian Forces for the repatriation of Supt. Coates and Sgt. Gallagher, which will likely take place later this week. We are working closely with Doug’s and Mark’s families, friends and colleagues to celebrate their lives and honour their sacrifices. We will provide further details on these events as they become known.
William J.S. Elliott
Commissioner, RCMP
