Canadian Airborne Brotherhood

[Moderator]

Mision in Haiti

It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge the death of Chief Superintendant Douglas Coates in the recent earthquake in Haiti.

A contributor to Vanguard when he was head of the RCMP’s International Peace Operations Branch in 2007, C/Supt Coates was serving as the Acting Commissioner of Operations for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) when the quake caused the collapse of the UN headquarters in which he was stationed.

Over a 32-year career with the RCMP Coates held a variety of positions across Canada, from providing policing services to rural and First Nations communities in Alberta, to specialized mountain search and rescue, to the Emergency Response Team, to heading the proceeds of crime unit in Quebec.

It is his passion for international policing, however, for which Coates is most remembered. He was first deployed to the UN mission to Haiti in 1993, but was soon evacuated along with the rest of the contingent due to security threats. He returned for a second mission the following year and succeeded in opening five police stations in the Grand Anse region, re-establishing police services for the estimated 890,090 citizens of that area.

That marked the beginning of a brilliant career in international policing
and peace operations. In 1996, he assumed responsibility for the management of Canadian police deployments on behalf of the RCMP. He subsequently undertook secondments to the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre in Ottawa and the Australian Federal Police. After heading up the International Peace Operations Branch in 2007, he returned once more to Haiti in June 2009.

Coates is the recipient of a Canadian peacekeeping service medal, a Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal, a 30-year silver clasp and the police exemplary service medal. In 1995, he also received a medal for his work with the UN mission to Haiti.

In his eulogy, RCMP Commissioner William Elliott indicated his pride in the passion, courage and commitment demonstrated by Coates as he and his colleagues pursued Canada’s mission to help establish law and order and help the people of Haiti live better lives.” Doug was a good man doing important work in a dangerous place risking his life to improve the lives of others.”

Coates often closed his meetings and correspondence with the words:
“Working together in the service of peace.” He will be missed.