mike hunter

 

A North Bay Police officer has received the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal.

Sergeant Mike Hunter served in Afghanistan in 2011 and was recognized recently at a North Bay Police Services Board meeting.

He says he was in charge of 135 Afghan Police officers and was responsible for 11 police reconstruction teams.

He says there was no shortage of turmoil when he was there but he says the people were wonderful.

Hunter details one story that stood out for him.

He says there was a roundabout and just after they left there was an ISIS attack and that was a little bit scary.

Hunter says every day you were there you had to be vigilant and aware that anything could happen.

He says he initially was attached to the European Union Police Mission or EUPOL through the RCMP International Police Peace Operations Program and was overseeing the EUPOL’s provincial reconstruction team and training and mentoring local police.

Hunter says they had an important job so that children could do something normal like go to school without being attacked.

He says they were being sprayed with acid because they were trying to go to school and their job was to ensure the students could go to class.