The peak of the summer season usually means the volume and variety of calls and requests for assistance from the Estevan Police Service (EPS) increase and last week was no exception.
EPS members handled a number of different calls, with several of them involving interaction with people who had been consuming alcohol and/or drugs which led to some illegal activities.
During the day of June 15, for example, police were involved in the removal of an unregistered vehicle that was illegally parked and partially blocking a driveway in the southwest area of the city. They then responded to a call regarding trucks that were working in convoys in another residential area in the north central part of the city. The complainant learned the trucking company had received temporary permission to travel in that area of the city to accommodate a construction project.
An intoxicated driver who was observed traveling through several intersections illegally, and also driving in the wrong lane of traffic, was arrested by EPS members in the afternoon. The 53-year-old Portage La Prairie, Man., man was arrested and charged with impaired driving and driving while his blood-alcohol content was over .08 per cent.
Police were then asked to look into a matter of a resident in the north central area of the city housing a large number of cats, contrary to the city bylaw. The matter remains under investigation.
Another complaint from the animal world arrived on the police doorstep the next afternoon when they were asked to investigate an incident in the southeast area that involved a dog biting a pedestrian. The animal was seized and is undergoing an assessment at the Estevan Humane Society, while the owner was charged with allowing his dog to act in this aggressive manner.
Police also set up two investigations regarding vehicles. One of the vehicles appeared to have been willfully damaged while the other was a report of a stolen vehicle. The second incident involved a dispute among several different people, so it is hoped the investigation will help resolve the matter.
On the night of July 17, two males entering a lounge in the north central area of the city were accused of uttering threats to staff members. The matter was reported to police several days after the incident.
A report of some intoxicated patrons causing a disturbance at a lounge in the north east area of the city triggered a police response and they found two females and a male, who had been the subjects causing the disturbance. The trio had left the lounge prior to police arrival but they were spoken to about their behaviour and no further policing action was taken.
On the night of July 18, EPS members were asked to look into a matter of threatening text messages being sent from one male to another.
An unwanted, intoxicated guest at a residence in the central part of the city was removed from a home by police and lodged in cells until sober.
On that same evening, EPS members arrested a 46-year-old Estevan man for possibly driving while impaired and driving while over .08. The man refused to provide a suitable breath sample for a breathalyzer test and was charged accordingly. He was lodged in cells until sober.
A report of a loud noise resembling a gunshot was received by police on the night of June 18. The noise that came from the southwest part of the city was investigated by police patrol but no suspicious activity was seen.
On July 19, EPS members were kept busy responding to several false alarms and static 911 calls and they also looked into an incident of vandalism at a local restaurant that included some graffiti on a bathroom wall.
Police next responded to a call regarding a woman in distress following an altercation with a man. Police located the man in question and the 24-year-old was arrested and charged with being in breach of court-ordered conditions.
Police next attended to a local hotel to provide assistance in handling an impaired man. The 36-year-old subject was in the lobby, and it was learned he was a registered guest, so he was escorted to his room without further incident.
When police conducted a routine check of a vehicle in the city on July 19, they learned the 36-year-old occupant had a warrant registered against him, so he was provided with new documents and given a court date in Regina to answer to the charges in that city.
Numerous other routine vehicle checks were made that same night, which resulted in two 24-hour suspensions of drivers' licences.
A call from a local convenience store regarding a possible fight in the parking lot led to police attendance. The matter involving two men remains under investigation.
In the early morning hours of July 20, police received a call regarding two women who were seen lying on the street at a busy intersection in the central part of the city. The two women had left the area prior to police arrival.
A domestic dispute in the central part of the city on July 20 led to a call to police, who were able to listen in on the argument through the caller's cellphone while they were en route to the location. Police heard the male subject involved in the dispute say he was going to get a bat. When police arrived at the scene they spoke to the man and learned that the woman involved in the matter had left the scene. The incident remains under investigation.
A call on July 20, regarding an extremely intoxicated man in the central part of the city, attracted police attention. The man was located and was seen to be extremely intoxicated and possibly further impaired by drugs. The 44-year-old subject was arrested and charged with being intoxicated in public. Police noted he had also defecated himself prior to being arrested so was admitted to cells only after being led to the showers. He was held in custody until regaining sobriety.
A fight that broke out among patrons in a local restaurant attracted police attention on July 20. When they arrived, police were informed that one of the subjects involved in the fracas had left the scene, but staff members provided a description of the subject. The victim of the incident informed police he had been punched in the face for no apparent reason and he did not know who his attacker was. Police eventually located the 27-year-old man who had done the punching and arrested him and charged him with assault. He now has a Sept. 30 court date.
During the rest of the nightshift on July 20, police issued two 24-hour licence suspensions and one charge against a 24-year-old man for refusing to provide a proper breath sample. He has a Sept. 30 court date.
During that same shift, police attended to two different hotels in response to complaints regarding impaired men lying in hallways. The subjects were arrested and charged with being intoxicated in public and lodged in cells overnight.
A domestic dispute on the north side of the city resulted in police action on July 21. Police spoke to one of the subjects, who had apparently thrown one of the residents' belongings around. The matter was resolved when the man was given an opportunity to collect his belongings and vacate the residence while police monitored the situation. No charges were laid.
A July 21 report of a vehicle being driven in a careless manner was fielded by police. The suspect vehicle was located and the 17-year-old driver was issued a ticket for driving without due care and attention, an offense that generally includes a fine of $280.
A complaint of a young man on a bicycle, carrying a backpack, acting in a suspicious manner, was received by police on the night of July 21. The subject was not located.
Later that same night a 22-year-old man was charged with impaired driving and driving while over .08 per cent after he was observed by police leaving a local lounge in a possible impaired condition and getting into his vehicle and driving away.
A report of a suspected break and enter incident was looked into by police on the night of July 21. Police learned that a man had been banging on the window of an apartment on the east side of the city for some time. When police arrived, the 25-year-old subject said he was simply locked out of his residence and was trying to wake his roommate. He was eventually taken to another residence where he was welcomed to stay the night.
