‘These incidents can turn sideways very quickly:’ Nanaimo RCMP warn about citizen intervention

“We’ve heard on social media and they’ve actually spoken to us that they’re getting fed up with petty crime and they felt they needed to do something to take back their neighbourhoods,” RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said. “We understand and also live in this community.”

O’Brien cautioned against people taking actions into their own hands. He added there is inherent risk in apprehending someone suspected of committing a crime.

“They have to know their grounds,” O’Brien said. “They may have thought an offence had happened when in reality when you look the evidence, nothing did occur and they could be opening them up to civil or criminal liability.”

In late February, RCMP honoured a ‘low-key and humble’ man who stepped in to help an officer apprehend a much larger suspect. O’Brien admitted the man was cautioned about his actions and they treat rewarding situations like this on a case-by-case basis.

O’Brien said despite constant social media comments from frustrated crime victims and witnesses, situations where people take matters into their own hands are few and far between.

“These incidents can turn sideways very quickly and while you feel you are doing what’s best, sometimes it’s best to do nothing and in turn take your phone, call for the police,” O’Brien said.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley

by Alex Rawnsley

‘These incidents can turn sideways very quickly:’ Nanaimo RCMP warn about citizen intervention

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