BOYLE – After a successful second quarter that saw the Boyle RCMP tackle property crime and drug enforcement, the start of the school year signified a shift towards community engagement and school talks.
During the Sept. 20 Village of Boyle council meeting, Sgt. Dennis Properzi sat down with councillors to update them on what was in the works for the detachment, as well as to discuss potential topics for a possible meeting with ‘K’ Division leadership at an upcoming conference.
“We’re getting back into the schools and getting those channels re-opened,” said Properzi. “The big thing is we’ve told the principals that if they invite us, one of us will be there. It might be me, but someone will be there.”
With schools reopening, the RCMP made sure to spend the first few weeks doing some education of their own; officers were parked in the school zones, reminding drivers about the regulations, when school zones are in effect, and the consequences of speeding.
“We wanted to spend those first few weeks coaching parents, the fines are pretty stiff, so education was the goal,” said Properzi.
The biggest change in between the sergeant’s reports was staffing — the department went from fully staffed to slightly understaffed as members rotated out.
“If you see someone sitting in a squad car drinking a coffee, and he looks like me, it is me,” said Properzi. “I kind of view it like a business, when things are busier the boss has to help out so that’s how we’re approaching it.”
To combat the staffing crunch, Boyle RCMP worked closely with the Alberta Sheriffs detachment in Atmore, as well as Athabasca County’s Community Peace Officers to cover as much space as they could.
“We wanted to make sure there was a bit more of a presence, with our call volume being high, although that’s to be expected over a summer period. The Sheriffs’ helped out with check stops in Wandering River and such, which is a win-win. Anyone flying the flag for us helps out a lot,” said the sergeant.
Property owner rights
During the council meeting, Properzi mentioned a town hall with residents of Long Lake who posed the question, “What are our rights as property owners if someone is breaking into our property?” In a Sept. 25 follow-up, Properzi was able to expand on the answer he gave councillors.
“It’s a question we get a lot, and it always boils down to: I can’t tell them what to do, but whatever action they take they’re responsible for,” said Properzi. “I always plead with the public to call the police, whether it’s 911, or if they aren’t there and they come in after the fact, call us to come out and check the property. There’s no property worth people risking their lives over.”
While Properzi acknowledged that property owners have the right to defend their property — the Criminal Code allows for “reasonable force” in that scenario — he also touched on recent cases where it wasn’t as cut and dry.
“We know how things have went in the past from incidents. People take the action themselves, whatever action they do take they’re liable for. If someone becomes hurt or deceased from a rash action, that could land them in a criminal realm as well.”
