Opinions expressed at a recent meeting of the Olds Rural Crime Watch Association reflected a concern among rural residents regarding a perceived notion of defencelessness in dealing with thieves.
Certainly a legitimate concern during a time when the fallout of a prolonged plunge in the price of oil has resulted in a rise of property crimes — and not just in Mountain View County but throughout the province as well.
Some property owners seem to want to take justice into their own hands. Confusion was expressed over essentially not being legally allowed or protected to draw a firearm upon catching red-handed a would-be thief. Quite the contrary actually — they could potentially themselves end up facing weapons-related charges in such a scenario.
It was difficult to discern from the implications raised whether there exists among some landowners a desire to discharge those firearms with deadly intent or merely use them as an intimidating deterrent. While the latter might be understandable, considering even just cocking an unloaded pump-action shotgun will get someone to stop faster than you can dial 911, the former should be equally as concerning as the rise in the rate of property crime itself.
But either way, we are talking about vigilante justice, which is not how civilized nations operate or should aspire to.
Taking matters into one's own hands can in such circumstances lead to regrettable and irreversibly catastrophic tragedy.
Based on what I heard from RCMP members like the Sundre RCMP detachment's commander Sgt. Jim Lank, police do not want people needlessly placing themselves in harm's way over material possessions. Frankly, the police are absolutely right on this one — it's not worth it.
If anything, officers like Lank are simply asking people to play it safe. And pulling a gun on someone in the middle of the night, startling a potentially armed and dangerous individual — who for all intents and purposes could be hopped up on just about anything — does not sound very safe.
At all.
Sometimes, several shots from a Taser and even pepper spray are not enough to bring down a suspect who is surging with adrenalin. Being shot or grazed by a bullet might just send them into a blind rage as they return fire, spraying bullets everywhere.
Not exactly an ideal outcome to an already less-than-ideal situation.
This is no longer the Old West. Shootouts are no longer how we resolve our problems.
The message authorities are trying to convey as I understood it from the crime watch association's meeting is that getting shot pulling a gun on a crook caught in the act is not worth stopping that thief from stealing something that can be replaced — a life cannot be substituted; a quad or RV can.
Instead of wasting precious seconds getting armed and loading a firearm, which could lead to some devastating unintended consequences, call the police immediately and provide them with the details that will help them to catch the criminal(s).
Another key message shared at the meeting is that detailed observations and prompt reports catch criminals.
The authorities are properly equipped and trained to respond to such calls; the average civilian simply is not.
Let the professionals do their work, and help them to do so by being as specific as possible when reporting a theft or other offence. And help them one step further by making sure you're not armed when they arrive. At night in the pitch black when arriving on the scene of a reported burglary, it must be stressful enough to be the first officer to arrive without seeing a silhouette carrying a long-barrelled rifle.
Good thing our officers don't seem to be as jittery as the ones south of the border.
