Three members of the RCMP received Commanding Officer's commendations for bravery at an award ceremony Friday afternoon at the High Country Inn.

Const. Blake Manchur, Const. James Splinter and Const. Brian White were recognized for their acts of heroics at the ceremony.

Const. Ryan Hack and Const. Jeff Kalles were also on the list to receive the honour, but were not at the ceremony.

'I'm proud of them,' Dave Shewchuk, chief superintendent of the RCMP 'M' Division, said in an interview following the ceremony.

He added the officers had a right to be proud of their brave actions. However, the commendations winners downplayed their achievements.

'It's nice to be recognized but I still see it it's part of what the RCMP is about. It's doing the job,' said Manchur.

He was honoured for jumping into the Yukon River in Whitehorse to save a man on Nov. 25, 2004.

Manchur saw the man standing on the edge of the ice on the river and he was clearly distraught, he said.

'He jumped into the river and I went after him basically.'

The rescue came down to a question of jumping into the water and save the man or possibly picking up a body further down stream, Manchur said, adding he didn't have time to be scared or to even think about the decision.

In his mind, there wasn't a decision to be made, he said.

'I just see it as part of doing my job,' he said. 'I've never received something like this before.'

Splinter also shrugged off the recognition by saying the event he was being honoured for had happened a long time ago.

He was commended for his role in apprehending a suicidal young man in British Columbia who had thrown an axe at RCMP officers in September 2001.

The individual was tearing apart his parents' house with an axe while high on drugs and intoxicated with alcohol, said Splinter.

The officers on the scene were trying to 'talk him down,' but he eventually came out of the house yelling, 'Kill me! Kill me! Kill me! Shoot me! Shoot me!' Splinter added.

The young man then charged the officers and threw the axe. Splinter said it was at that point he tackled the man and took him to the ground so he could be apprehended and taken to the hospital.

'Of course it was scary when it happened but if you look back on it....' Splinter said, adding that he now sees humour in the situation and thinks the incident was almost 'fun.'

The ceremony honoured a total of 29 of the 'M' division's police officers and volunteer auxiliary officers.

'They serve their communities throughout Canada. This is a way for the communities to get to meet people and it's also a way for us to honour people,' said Shewchuk.

Beyond the bravery commendations, 14 members received long service awards at the ceremony. The medals are the oldest award in the Canadian system and provide recognition of service at various milestones ranging from five to 40 years.

'The long service medals are not awarded in recognition of a single act or one specific incident,' Staff Sgt. A.C. Hubley, master of the ceremonies, told the attendees. The award is, instead, in recognition of all the times the recipient displayed bravery, patience and good judgment throughout their career with the RCMP, he said.

The members being honoured for the longest service records were Insp. John Grant for 35 years of work and Cpl. Peter Greenlaw for his 30 years' service.

Greenlaw said he has stuck with the RCMP because he likes what he does. He is currently part of the 'M' division's drug section.

Greenlaw previously worked in Toronto's undercover drug section. He moved to the Yukon in 1986 and has been posted in Dawson City and Whitehorse.

The most rewarding part of the job has been working with kids and adults to make a difference in the communities, he said.

When asked to pick out his most memorable moment over his 30 years, Greenlaw pointed to a time while he was posted in Toronto, a member of a motorcycle gang had taunted the police that he would never be caught. However, while Greenlaw was doing an undercover drug operation, the individual came right up to him and offered to sell him drugs and Greenlaw was able to arrest him.

'That made me happy,' he said.

As for being honoured at the ceremony, he labelled it as 'just another day at the zoo.'

But Shewchuk said it's important to stop and thank the RCMP officers and their families for the time they have sacrificed and the efforts they have put in over their careers.

'We have long service awards to thank people for their loyal and dedicated service over the years,' said Shewchuk.

He added he hoped the award ceremony would draw public attention to the service of the division's volunteer auxiliary officers.

'We don't pay them, so really, the only recognition they get is thank you,' he said. 'We give them out a little pin after a few years and that's very small.

'I think they deserve so much more. They don't have to be here and they don't have to do what they are doing and they put in tremendous hours and that takes away from their own families and we really appreciate it.'

Ten auxiliary constables were recognized: Paul Bubiak, Ted Triggs, Cory Bruneau, Mike Wagner, Brian Pratt, Gerard Cruchon, Mark Favron, Bruce McLennan, Jon Trefry and Yoani Vega.

Other awards granted at the event were the Parchment Commission for Tracy Hardy's promotion to inspector and the St. John's Life Saving Award for Cpl. Ken Alderson's use of his first aid skills to save a choking man while off-duty.

Three distinguished marksman awards were given to Staff Sgt. Tim Walton, Const. Mike Buxton-Carr and Const. Ian Fraser.

The recipients of the long service awards are as follows:

Insp. John Grant, 35 years

Cpl. Peter Greenlaw, 30 years

Const. Jerry Francoeur, 30 years

Const. Garry Sokwaypnace, 25 years

Staff Sgt. Tim Walton, 20 years

Sgt. Jean Marc Hache, 20 years

Cpl. Harlan Inkster, 20 years

Const. Chris Pratte, 20 years

Retired Constable Jerry Geddes, 20 years

Auxiliary Const. Paul Bubiak, 10 years, also received his 5-year pin

Auxiliary Const. Ted Triggs, 10 years, also received his 5-year pin

Auxiliary Const. Cory Bruneau, 5 years

Auxiliary Const. Mike Wagner, 5 years

Auxiliary Const. Brian Pratt, 5 years.