11/24/2025
The Khaki and Blue Project was saddened to hear of the recent passing of Toronto Police Sgt. (Ret'd) Michael Marchen MSM, in his 65th year.
Mike spent 35 years serving the citizens of Toronto over a long and distinguished career. He was best known for his work as a skilled forensic investigator.
Mike also served Canada abroad. In 1999, he deployed to Kosovo in support of the UN Peacekeeping Mission as part of the RCMP-led Kosovo Forensic Team. He investigated war crimes, bringing justice to the wartorn country and closure to families.
Mike was also one of very few members of the Toronto Police Service to be awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, which he received for his voluntary humanitarian work during the Rwandan Genocide.
His citation reads:
"In September 1994, during the Rwanda civil war, each of these nine individuals from the Toronto Police Service went to Africa, at his or her own time and expense, to provide humanitarian aid at refugee camps in neighbouring Zaire, where approximately 250,000 Rwandans were displaced. Undeterred by extreme living conditions, gunfire and threats by armed soldiers, they carried on with their mission, digging drainage ditches, building a makeshift hospital out of rock, distributing food, and caring for terminally-ill babies, as well as collecting and burying the dead. The devotion and determination shown by these nine individuals in the midst of a humanitarian tragedy brought credit to themselves and honour to Canada."
May he rest in peace.
📸 1: Sgt Michael Marchen MSM
📸 2: Marchen exhuming human remains from a mass grave in Kosovo.
📸 3: Toronto Star Newspaper Clipping
