On Wednesday, Aug. 3, an Alberta man made a poor judgment call when he decided to challenge the land speed record while passing through the Clearwater area. He came flying down the Highway 5 corridor right into the beam of an alert Clearwater Traffic Services Member. Clocked at 158 km/hr in a 100 zone, the officer did not have to think twice about stopping him.
When the member approached the vehicle he noted the man shaking like a leaf. He deduced that the man either had a phobia of police or he had something to hide. The latter soon proved to be true.
Due to his speed the rental vehicle he was driving had to be impounded, so it was loaded on a tow truck and all parties proceeded to the local tow compound.
Once there a short conversation took place and the man handed over a bong (a pipe used for smoking pot). An RCMP Drug Interdiction dog was called in and assisted in a complete search of the vehicle. More drug paraphernalia (a small digital scale and a grinder) were located and seized. The question once again surfaces, when will people learn?
The police and the law
The RCMP would like to remind all that we could only enforce something if it is covered by law. If something falls under the Criminal Code of Canada, Provincial Act, Statute, Regulation, or a Bylaw, then we can act on it. If not, then there is no authority to do anything.
Many people get frustrated when they are annoyed by a situation and they come to the police only to find that there is no legal recourse. A good example of this may be when a neighbor allows his dog to come over to your lawn to do what dogs do. Although very rude and unneighborly (of the owner) there is no law that we can enforce to order an end to this behavior. In cases like these, our only recourse is to go and speak with the owner and try to reason with them. If there are any questions regarding this, please don’t hesitate to call the local detachment for clarification.
