PAGE 10
News Advertiser
NOVEMBER 2, 2016
www.
NewsAdvertiser
.com
Sgt Jerry Nutbrown
As police officers, we are dispatched to
a variety of calls for service during a
shift. Having been a police officer for
twelve years, in a number of communi-
ties in a front line policing capacity, I
have been dispatched to a lot of call
where police simply weren’t required.
A good degree of our calls for service
come for non-criminal matters – bylaw
complaints, dis-
putes
between
family members,
employer/employ-
ee disputes, cus-
tomer
service
complaints, and
so much more.
Because the neighbours are having a
loud party, or the neighbour’s dog
poops on your lawn, or your son or
daughter is being bullied at school –
folks call police because they’re angry
with someone else. We can always
assist, however we will ask you the fol-
lowing question – ‘What have you done
about the matter so far?’ ‘Have you
spoken to your neighbour about turn-
ing the music down?’ ‘Have you asked
your neighbour to pick up the poop?’
‘Have you spoken to your son’s teachers
or the parents of the bully?’
We, as police officers, hope that the
public have considered their options
and have attempted to resolve the dis-
pute prior to calling the police. Calling
the police is to be a last resort. Typically,
when we are called to these matters,
there is very little we can or will do
except mediate. Most folks in these
situations are frustrated with the prob-
lem at hand, or downright angry and
many times in my career, I will have
someone tell me ‘I want them
charged!’.
In order to lay a charge, the police
need what is called the ‘reasonable and
probable grounds’ to believe an offence
was committed. That’s the catch – an
offence must have been committed.
Offences are listed in a variety of Acts
(laws). These laws can be municipal
(i.e. bylaws), provincial (i.e. Traffic
Safety Act, Gaming and Liquor Act) or
federal (i.e. Criminal Code, Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act).
Often, out of anger and/or frustration
one person may want someone else
‘charged’. OK, here’s what we do as a
police officers: 1. Consider all of the
facts at hand. 2. Determine if the rea-
sonable and probable grounds exist to
believe an offence has been committed.
3. Determine if it is in the interest of all
involved to proceed with a charge.
Those who call the police about prob-
lems with tenants, neighbours, employ-
ees, children, customers, are often
frustrated and angry at the time of the
call. Then some become frustrated or
angry with the police when we don’t
arrest and charge someone. Why?
Well, considering all of the above, if
that test isn’t met, then no charge is
laid. As well, if there is no Act stating
what this person did is an offence, then
we can’t create a charge to satisfy the
person making a complaint.
For example – calling the police as the
fireworks are scaring your children –
what can the police do? We will investi-
gate – everything we do is an investiga-
tion. We research tons of information,
look for answers, and try to resolve a
problem. In this case, if those using
fireworks are doing so legally, the police
will do nothing as these folks are acting
within the laws of the land. The fire-
works may inconvenience you and your
family, and you will not achieve the
outcome you wanted, simply by phon-
ing the police.
Now, the flip side of the coin – remem-
ber the neighbour whose dog poops on
your lawn? Well, there is a law making
this an offence – it is called ‘Improper
disposal of waste’, carrying with it a fine
of $115.00. However, if a peace or
police officer charges the dog owner, he
has the right to plead not guilty to the
charge (he may believe he has a right to
do what he does). If the offender pleads
not guilty, he then gets his day in court.
Here’s the process:
The police get the call that the neigh-
bour is throwing his dog poop on you
lawn.
The police investigate, and determine
that that is the case, therefore establish-
ing the reasonable and probable
grounds to believe an offence has been
committed.
The police then lay the charge, based on
To Call or Not to Call, That is the Question…
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