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Landlords: be part of the solution, not part of the problem
By S/Sgt. Marko Shehovac
Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment continues to investigate drug activity in the valley and whenever possible charges are laid. One problem that I have observed over the years is the lack of due diligence by landlords to conduct a thorough reliability or reference check.
We have a large number of absentee landlords based out of Alberta who may feel the pressure to get their place rented. Even our local landlords have been burnt. Two things that you want to ensure yourself when renting, is the neighbourhood going to be safe and is my property that I invested in going to be safe from damage?
We have landlords that when it comes to ensuring the neighbourhood is safe, could care less. If the rent is paid they are happy. When the rent is not paid they take action and when it comes to eviction, that’s another horror story.
Due diligence cannot be done over the phone. If I’m a low life drug dealer and I give you a reference to check on, the person you will be calling will be my partner in crime. All of a sudden I’m a long distance truck driver, very seldom seen or heard and the rent is always on time.
The advice that I have given people living in the area where the tenants have become a serious issue and it cannot be resolved, is when you are bothered at 3 a.m. it would be handy to have the landlords number so you can give that person a call. The police can certainly be contacted and after so many warnings, bylaw charges, if that doesn’t work there is a charge under the criminal code of Mischief Section 430 (1) (c), everyone commits mischief who wilfully obstructs, interrupts or interferes with the lawful use, enjoyment or operation of property… When all attempts fail and we can document the number of complaints, the last resort is this section.
Landlords, be part of the solution not part of the problem.
Lost wallet leads to parole officer
A found wallet was turned into the detachment at 9 a.m. on March 17. Search of the wallet confirmed the owners name; a 27-year-old male from Saskatchewan. Identification however also indicated the male was on parole. Check of conditions revealed the male was not to leave the province. Follow up with relatives determined that the male had left for Banff. The investigator was able to get a phone number for the male and made contact. The male was at Panorama Mountain Village. He was requested to attend the detachment to pick up his wallet. At that time he was advised that his parole office would no doubt be breaching him.
24-hour prohibition
At 10:05 p.m. on March 20, a 25-year-old male from Radium Hot Springs was checked operating his vehicle in the Radium area. Subject displayed signs of having consumed liquor. A 24-hour prohibition was issued. As the male was breaching his curfew at the time of the check charges are to be forwarded to Crown to determine if they wish to proceed with Breach charges.
Patrols fail to find fireworks discharger
At 9:15 p.m. on March 21, Columbia Valley Detachment received a complaint of someone shooting off fireworks from a vehicle in the Windermere Loop Road area. Patrols of the area were negative.
Park n narc results in charges
On March 21, Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment members on patrol in Invermere observed a 2005 Jeep parked and running with four adults sitting in the car. Routine check resulted in the officers detecting a strong odour of marijuana. Search of the vehicle resulted in a small quantity of drugs in the car. This seizure resulted in a 39-year-old male being charged with possession of a controlled substance. The male who was in the driver’s seat admitted to consuming drugs. The male was issued a 24-hour driving prohibition and the vehicle towed. A 29-year-old male passenger from Sherwood Park was found to be in possession of cocaine. This male was charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Sledder injured near Panorama
At 11:50 a.m. on March 24, Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment was advised of an injured snowmobiler at Panorama. The call came in from Toby Creek Adventures. A 37-year-old female operating a snow machine went down a 20 foot embankment and due to injuries was not able to get to safety. Columbia Valley Search and Rescue were called out and assisted in the rescue. The female was taken to Invermere & District Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Things they don’t teach us in Regina
John Gillen is my neighbor in Golden, an older friend, retired from the RCMP. He told me story awhile back in confidence!
In his early days in the force (Great march west) he was posted in northern Saskatchewan. He was asked to tag along with a seasoned bush pilot to fly into a small remote lake. Everything was going according to plan until they made an attempt to take off on calm water with no wind. No wind, no lift, huge problem.
The pilot returned to the end of the lake, pushed the plane back so the pontoons were half out of the water. John watched with amazement as the pilot got out and with a strong rope tied the plane to a large tree. John’s instructions were clear. Bush pilot would get back in the plane and go full throttle. The tree would prevent them from taking off, John simply had to stand on the pontoon, grab hold of a wing strut and when he signals cut the rope with the sharp knife. They would be catapulted similar to an aircraft carrier.
John listened to the instructions in silence. Deathly silence. “When I cut the rope, will the plane not be moving fast?” The pilot responded, “Very fast, that’s the idea.”
John was advised he would be right next to the door, he simply had to crawl back in as quick as possible. Thinking back to his training days, John had no recollection of being taught this in Regina. Falling off a horse, yes. Falling off a plane, no.
Full throttle she goes, the plane is jiving, rocking and doing its best to take the tree down. Engine is roaring, propeller is whipping up a wind storm and John is holding onto a wing strut realizing he will soon be swimming with the fishes. He leans over and given the tightness of the rope the cut was easily accomplished; the short trip to the passenger seat not so easy.
Before he can start pushing himself into the plane he is already air borne off the water. As he reaches his seat he is tree level. John had time to sit back, enjoy the trip home and contemplate what he just did. Join the RCMP and see the country! The pamphlet failed to state it would be in the air from atop a pontoon.