The Sundre RCMP detachment received 258 calls for service from July 6 to Aug. 11, including the following:
Property crimes 41
Crime prevention, assistance to general public or other agencies 37
False alarms 29
Motor vehicle collisions 19
Suspicious person, vehicle or property 15
Traffic complaints 16
Breach of peace/cause disturbance 11
Mischief 9
Abandoned motor vehicles 8
Impaired operation of motor vehicle 8
911 hang ups 7
Animal calls 7
Fraud/identity theft 7
Person crimes 7
Lost and found 6
Breach/fail to comply with court order 4
Careless use of firearm 3
Liquor Act 3
Explosives Act 2
Hit and run 2
Off-highway vehicle collisions 1
The following are brief summaries of the more notable calls for service.
Thieves target Crammond Hall
Since April of this year, Crammond Hall has been the victim of theft approximately four times. The most recent incident was on Monday, July 18 when the culprits did minor damage to the hall and stole the trail camera that was installed to help catch the looters in the act. The Sundre RCMP detachment is requesting that residents report any suspicious activity in the area of Crammond Hall to police. Should anyone have witnessed or have information regarding this or any of the other events, please contact the local detachment at 403-638-3675 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Things that go boom!
The detachment has received several reports from residents of loud booms within the area. The loud booms are explosions caused by persons detonating binary exploding targets (such as Tannerite, Reactive Targets) as they have become readily available at Alberta firearms retail outlets and through online distributors. Any person more than 18 years of age and holding a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence may lawfully acquire and store in their dwelling up to 20 kilograms of non-mixed gross mass of this product. Individuals in possession of and transporting these items mixed may have the product seized and be charged accordingly. Persons using the product to “blow up” objects (for example washing machines or vehicles) can also face criminal charges. The public should know that as of May 5, 2016, the provincial government issued a ministerial order banning the shooting or detonation of incendiary targets, exploding targets or any other container holding explosive substances on vacant public land until the end of the fire season.
August long weekend
The RCMP Sundre can report that there were no major issues in the West Country over the August long weekend. The weather partially cooperated and users overall were very compliant and respectful to our backyard. On Saturday, July 30 at around 8:30 p.m., police were called to a rollover collision just south of Powerline road. It was reported that a Ford Expedition had rolled and struck a tree. RCMP attended the scene and learned that there were two occupants of the vehicle and both had been drinking alcohol. One of the occupants had been ejected but miraculously both of them only suffered very minor injuries. It was determined that speed and alcohol were factors in the collision. Public users in the area had reported that the vehicle had been driving up and down the road at a high rate of speed with little to no regard for the other users in the area. The driver, Justine Raabis, 33, from Red Deer, was charged provincially for careless driving. She also received an immediate 30-day roadside licence suspension as she was a holder of a GDL licence. The passenger, Michael Cotton, 29, of Spruce View, was found to be on probation with court imposed conditions not to consume alcohol. He was subsequently arrested for breaching his conditions and charged.
More impaired drivers removed from the road
On Friday, July 29 police pulled over a pickup truck for a burned out headlamp and cracked windshield. The male driver of the vehicle subsequently admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the day. The driver was detained to check his sobriety. The driver also complied when asked to provide a sample of his breath on an approved screening device. His sample provided a fail and he was arrested for impaired operation of a motor vehicle. The male was transported to the detachment where he provided two more samples of his breath. Brandon Peck, 22, of Sundre, was charged with impaired operation of a motor vehicle and impaired operation of a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit. Peck is due to appear in provincial court in Didsbury on Sept. 26.
On Sunday, Aug. 7, police were called to the alley behind the Burger Baron for a disturbance. Police attended the scene and located a female and male arguing. The female was found to be operating a motor vehicle. The female was detained during the investigation and subsequently arrested for impaired operation of a motor vehicle. She was transported to the detachment and provided samples of her breath, which were almost three times the legal limit. The female, a 50-year-old from Airdrie, was charged for impaired operation of a motor vehicle and impaired operation of a motor vehicle over the legal limit.
Dangers of impaired driving message not being heard
The traffic safety focus for the month of August is impaired driving. It is unfortunate that the frequent message to the public about the dangers of drinking and driving is not being heard by all. It should be noted that impaired driving also includes impairment by drugs. Cannabis is second to alcohol as the drug most frequently found among drivers involved in crashes and drivers charged with impaired driving. Among young drivers, driving after using cannabis now exceeds the rate of driving after drinking, according to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse. In Alberta, 21 people were killed and 305 people were injured in drug-involved casualty collisions (2010-2014). About 16 per cent of 15–24 year olds in Canada report riding as a passenger with a driver who has smoked cannabis within the previous two hours. A recent study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation found in Alberta that 82 drivers (41 per cent) who were killed in collisions during 2012 tested positive for drugs. To put this in perspective, during this same year, 71 of the drivers tested positive for alcohol. Drugged driving is a real danger so please don't do it and please don't drink and drive. The life you save could be your own.
Sundre is home to honest and good Samaritans
On Wednesday, Aug. 3, a Sundre resident turned in a wallet that was found near Dougan's Service. The owner was contacted and the wallet returned. The owner reported that she lost her wallet, which contained all of her documents including $45 in cash plus change, on Saturday, July 30. The owner was happy to report that all the contents, including the money, were still with the wallet. On Wednesday, Aug. 10, a Sundre resident attended the detachment to turn in a wallet that her 18-year-old son had found near the crosswalk by the Sundre Hotel. The owner was contacted and the wallet returned. The owner of the wallet reported that all of its contents, which included lottery tickets, credit cards and $460 in cash, were still with the wallet. The mother of the 18-year-old should be very proud of her son for his honesty.
