Community safety and crime issues continue to be a concern of councillors at North Battleford City Hall.
At council Monday, during S/Sgt. Darcy Woolfitt’s monthly policing presentation, Councillor Ray Fox commented about the recent incident on Carlton Trail shortly before 9 p.m. on Nov. 11, in which a 55-year-old woman was found lying on the side of the road with bandages on her legs.
There were comments on Facebook highly critical of the RCMP actions in that incident, forcing the RCMP to issue a media release soon after to clear the air about what happened. The RCMP reported that at no point was the woman in RCMP custody or cells and the bandages were from a pre-existing medical condition.
Fox thanked the RCMP for their response to the Carlton Trail release. He called it “somewhat unprecedented” that the RCMP would release a statement based on a social media post, and noted he had received several phone calls about the incident.
“It was getting to the point where it was almost hysterical,” said Fox. Fox also wanted some further details about the incident.
“I understand now there have been charges laid, that something is coming, is that the truth to this point?” Fox asked.
“That, again, is social media,” Woolfitt responded, adding that the particular incident was “still under investigation.”
“All parties that we believe were involved in that particular situation are known to police. So the investigation is still ongoing.”
Woolfitt also urged caution about social media.
“The person who initially posted his comment on Facebook was nowhere near that situation, was in my estimation 50 miles away making comments about things they have heard. And I think it does a disservice not only to the people involved in that particular situation, but it does a disservice to the community at large. And it doesn’t, really doesn’t, help anyone. And the reason for the information coming out from the police on that, is to clarify some of the issues and to make sure the community was confident in the fact that we weren’t dealing with a larger problem than what we initially had.”
Fox pressed further and asked “what would your advice be, then, if you’re afraid to walk your dog because of something like that happening?”
Woolfitt suggested people go to the public Safety Canada website or the City website. He also suggested people should make a plan and tell a friend where they are going.
“I don’t want people in the community to live in a fear-based community,” said Woolfitt.
“I think the more people engage each other and communicate, and get to know your neighbours and know your community and realize that it is a good community to live in. It is, by my estimation, a very safe community.”
