RCMP doing more vehicle policing during pandemic

By Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Redcliff RCMP has not been getting as many calls for service since the COVID-19 pandemic escalated in mid-March.

However, that does not mean police officers are not getting any calls and if they do get calls, they are still attending.

“Everybody is still working their full shifts. We’re all responding to calls,” said Redcliff RCMP Staff Sgt. Sean Maxwell.

Maxwell said the communities will notice more members being visible in the public via vehicle as opposed to getting out and talking to people.

“We’re going out to calls and being careful where we need to,” he said.

He does expect there to still be some criminal activity with more people staying home.

“As a result of that, if they see suspicious vehicles out there to make sure to give us a call,” he said.

“One thing that we are dealing with recently, and even in the City of Medicine Hat, is some traffic issue. We’ve heard calls of people out speeding, breaking the law and that sort of thing in their vehicles.”

Maxwell says he wants the public to know that although they are doing more policing from the vehicle at this time that they can still pull people over and charge them.

Officers do have personal protective equipment on them if they need to utilize them.

There are no fingerprint checks being conducted right now but criminal record checks can still be conducted.

“This ends up being a much wider event that’s affecting everybody,” he said.

“Even for the long haul, I don’t foresee us doing any changes in terms of how we’re dealing with risk, with the public besides being careful and doing the actions we’ve done.”

The detachment’s doors are not open to public right now, but people can call the (403) 548-2222 if they have a complaint to report.

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