Columbia Valley RCMP Report

By S/Sgt. Marko Shehovac

At 10 a.m. on Jan. 10, a citizen walking on Popular Street in Windermere observed a fire at a residence. A quick response by Windermere Fire Department contained the fire to a small portion of the home. The fire appeared to have come near a space heater. No one was home at the time.

Cougar sighting in Invermere

At 10:14 p.m. on Jan. 10, Columbia Valley RCMP Detachment received a report of a cougar sighting in the area of 13th Street and 13th Ave. BC Conservation Officers were advised of this sighting. Immediate patrols were negative.

Noise complaint at Pano

At 11:54 p.m. on Jan. 10, the detachment received a complaint of a noisy gathering on Greywolf Drive in Panorama. Police attended an observed a number of people gathered in the area. After a brief discussion with the police the noise level was turned down a notch and no further complaints received.

Rollover south of Windermere

At 2:09 a.m. on Jan. 11, Columbia Valley Detachment responded to a single vehicle rollover on Hwy 93/95, south of Windermere. A 2002 Dodge Ram pickup lost control on the icy road and went into the ditch. There were no injuries to the 49-year-old male driver from Invermere.

Big time failure to keep right

At 5:55 p.m. on Jan. 12, Columbia Valley Detachment members responded to a single vehicle accident on Toby Creek Road. The 19-year-old driver from Radium Hot Springs was traveling towards Invermere and near Peters Hill on a sharp left turn lost control and went into the ditch on the right, down a 70-foot embankment. There were minor injuries to the driver. Vehicles had been traveling up and down the hill before and after the accident without any problems. As a result the driver was issued a ticket for fail to keep right.

Skis stolen at Panorama

Columbia Valley Detachment received a report of theft of skis from Panorama Mountain Village at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 13. The skis are described as Nordica Soul Rider 185/186 cm, green in color with skulls on them.

Problem guest sleeps it off in cell

At 6 p.m. on Jan. 13, police attended a residence in Canal Flats on a complaint of an intoxicated female causing problems at the home and refusing to leave the residence when requested. The 33-year-old female had departed; however, returned to the residence. The female was arrested for being unlawfully in a dwelling house. The owners of the residence did not request charges. The female was released when sober the next morning.

Fishing huts ransacked and damaged; man arrested

On Jan 13, police received a complaint of theft of property from fishing shacks on the lake, as well as two fish shacks damaged, with one being burned. A suspect vehicle was later located and a number of the stolen items were recovered from the vehicle. An adult male was arrested and the investigation is continuing.

Got to do, what you got to do

Have I, while on duty as a police officer sworn to uphold the law, planted evidence on a person? The answer is yes. Did I feel bad about it? The answer is no.

While posted in Rossland in the 1980s I worked evening shift the night before Halloween, which in that part of the Kootenays is called Gate Night. The kids raise a little hell.

It was customary for kids to load up with eggs and target the police vehicles. It was a cat and mouse type of evening. Rather they target the police vehicles than businesses in town.

Rule one, you do not target the members but the car was fair game. Rule two, better not get caught. Getting caught resulted in immediate apprehension, Charter of Rights did not exist and rule three, calling Mommy and Daddy was not allowed. Parents supported us 100%. Apprehension resulted in hard labor back at the detachment washing the police vehicle.

During the evening I seized a carton of eggs from a young fellow. During the patrols I would exit the police vehicle and zero in on one of the youths in the group and demand that I check his pocket for eggs. Those who did not run obviously knew they had unloaded or were not packing and gladly obliged.

I would palm one of the eggs that I had seized earlier and when checking the pockets gently planted the egg. Surprise, surprise, I find an egg, look at the kid and pat him down hard enough resulting in the egg to explode in his pocket.

One kid actually said he thought he got rid of them all. Once the kids caught on to what I was doing they were not so obliging to my command to come to me.

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