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Constant texting harassment
Columbia Valley RCMP Report
On Jan. 25, the Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment received a 7:48 p.m. complaint of constant harassment due to a person known to the victim to be constantly texting her in regards to an ongoing argument. No threats were made. Complainant simply wished the police to speak to the person and request the harassment stop before it becomes a criminal matter.
Two vehicle crash in Invermere
At 6:20 p.m. on Jan. 25 RCMP officers responded to a two vehicle accident on 4th St. and 7th Ave. in front of Sobey’s. A jeep, driven by a 19-year-old male from Fairmont Hot Springs turned left on a green light, failing to yield to a Dodge pickup driven by a 63-year-old male from Invermere. (Really don’t know why I have to always include age, just a habit. No doubt will stop doing that when a female jeers me for revealing her age.) No injuries to the drivers. The driver of the Jeep was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for failing to yield.
Window smashing being investigated
At 11 p.m. on Jan. 25, Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment members received a report of a smashed window in the 300 block of Sifton St. Invermere. Police attended and learned that over an argument with a family member a 40-year-old female from Invermere smashed a front window. Damage value is in the area of $300. The investigation continues.
Unwanted ventilation while napping
On Jan. 26, the driver of a 2010 Dodge Ram truck decided to pull over at a rest area for the night between Radium and Edgewater. During the night, as the driver slept in the vehicle, the back window was smashed. Detachment members attended the scene and as the owner indicated all he heard was a vehicle passing by it was determined that a passing vehicle hit a rock on the road, or one dislodged from a tire that was sent flying, striking the window.
Assault investigation underway
Also on Jan. 26, Columbia Valley Detachment was contacted and advised that an adult male and female were assaulted at their residence by an adult male known to them. An argument ensued that resulted in the assault. The female victim involved was later seen at the Invermere and District Hospital and it was determined that she possibly suffered a concussion. Police were not notified at the time of the assault. A suspect male has been identified and the investigation is continuing.
Bar patrols
Detachment members, throughout their evening patrols, conduct bar walk-throughs. These patrols are meant to support the staff should there be any issues, as well as ensuring that the bars have things under control for security, no minors and not over serving. Recent observations by officers, in the last couple of weeks – a short period of time – have resulted in a bar manager being serviced a licensed premise check sheet noting violations. This is followed up with the liquor inspector to take whatever action he deems necessary.
These patrols will be more frequent as violations are noted with more aggressive enforcement from the officers and the liquor inspector.
Impaired investigations
Recently a number of officers were trained on the ASD hand held instrument to detect impaired drivers. In the past those officers without the training were unable to utilize the new provincial legislation that provided for immediate suspensions and impoundment. Officers investigating an impaired driver that did not have this training would be tied up for hours completing the investigation. The ASD training is a valuable tool used by the police to tackle impaired drivers who blow a fail or warn.
Members were conducting road side sobriety checks recently as vehicles were coming off the lake. These road side sobriety checks will continue.
Emergency E brake turn
Just six month into the job in Agassiz I was the passenger in a police car when a car went speeding by us. My partner, an experienced officer who obviously knew how to handle a car, went through some instinctive moves that resulted in our police car slow down and spin on a dime at a fairly high rate of speed and we quickly caught up to the vehicle. The spinning on a dime took me by surprise and actually scared the living bejesus out of me.
He later explained and demonstrated the E brake turn. It all happens in a split second; slow car down a little, start the turn with your steering wheel, and at a pivotal time of the steering, pull out the emergency release while at the same time slam down on the emergency brake, quickly take the foot off the emergency brake at the right time in the turn, and voila you are heading in the opposite direction.
The E brake turn. Well, junior member here wants to be like the experienced member. Practice makes perfect and I wanted to master this technique that they didn’t teach us in Regina. However, I needed a pretty wide area to learn. No better place than the four lane Trans-Canada Highway late at night when no one was looking. This went on for about a week and with all the attempts, I managed to do it once. I conquered and decided to never do it again.
You can imagine the marks all the practice left on the highway. One day, while traveling with the boss to Chilliwack, he commented on the marks on the highway and directed me and the others to get the idiot who was marking up the highway. Not a problem. I’m on it.
S/Sgt. Marko Shehovac
Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment
