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IQALUIT
The long-service medal Nunavut's RCMP Supt. Hilton Smee wears with his red serge now has a silver bar since he was recently recognized for his 30 years of service.

RCMP Supt. Hilton Smee, left, received the long service award for 30 years of service with the national police force on Sept. 13. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, presented him the award. - Jeanne Gagnon/NNSL photo

And royalty presented him the award as Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, participated in the ceremony at the Nunavut Legislative Building in Iqaluit on Sept. 13.

Smee said he never thought, when he joined the RCMP in 1981 at North Vancouver, he would serve in the national police force for 30 years and counting.

"I think I would go to 35. As long as I'm having fun, I'll decide from there after the 35," he said. "It was a significant privilege for me to be able to receive the award from him (Prince Edward.) He made me feel so relaxed and at ease as I received it. That made it even more meaningful."

Raised in North Vancouver, Smee served in Sundre, Alta., right out of depot before being transferred to High Prairie, Alta.

He then served seven years in the North, including postings in Rankin Inlet, Inuvik and Qikiqtarjuaq before returning south to British Columbia's Lower Mainland to work in a department taking care of the force's computers and radios.

"That gave me an opportunity to see a side of the organization many of us don't have anything to do with really and understand how critical they are to supporting our operations," said Smee.

Smee worked in Coquitlam, B.C., then moved up to Dawson Creek, B.C., before being commissioned to Sierra Leone, in 2002 for one year of peace keeping.

Upon his return to Canada, he worked in Burnaby, B.C., then was promoted to his current position in Iqaluit in December 2011.

"I don't know if I can say I've had a favourite spot," he said. "I think the first posting is always the posting you connect with the most because that's where you learn the job and start out. We made some very good friends in that community. You're always connected back to it."

In his three decades of service, he said he's learned to have fun serving the communities. He has no regrets, he added, describing the job as "exciting."

"It's still positive because the job is so much fun," he said. "The connection to the people and the communities, that's what I like the most. And getting to know the different aspects about each community I've served in. And really, it's about the service. That's what kind of drives me. It's the service to the people I work with."

Smee is married with two children, one of whom is training to become a Mountie.

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