In a meeting with Hedley citizens Thursday evening, Sergeant Rob Hughes of the Princeton RCMP answered many questions about local concerns. He admitted at the outset he has not participated in this type of forum previously. He said he had desired the meeting because of a recent issue that had caused anxiety for residents. Upward of 50 people attended in spite of steadily falling snow, indicating a considerable depth of concern.
Sergeant Hughes quickly established guidelines for the discussion. “My purpose in being here is to begin a dialogue with the community,” he said. “We’re not going to attack particular individuals or dwellings. I want the police to have a constructive relationship with the people of this community. ”
Even so, the matter of an alleged drug house in town was mentioned repeatedly by attendees. One distraught mother said her teenage daughter had been given drugs and then physically and sexually assaulted. “If drugs are being sold,” the Sergeant responded, “it means there is a market. The users need help, and the community can get involved in that.”
One individual replied, “We don’t have contact with these people. They aren’t part of our community. They have their own community.” Some in the audience felt otherwise, saying they had interactions with some of the drug users.
Sergeant Hughes wanted to foster a more complete understanding of the nature of police work. He emphasized that police cannot conduct a search or make an arrest on the basis of an anonymous complaint. “The benchmark to get a search warrant is very, very high,” he said. “We can’t just target a person because the community is mad at them. Often when a complaint is called in, there is an unwillingness to provide a name and address, make a statement, or appear in court to support the complaint.” Several individuals mentioned fear of retaliation if a complaint is made.
Hughes recognized that at times this is a significant impediment but stressed the importance of keeping the police informed. “We need you to call in when you have a concern. We have 7 officers with a very large territory to patrol and protect. Statistics determine how many officers the province assigns to a detachment. Your calls give the province the statistical information required to assure you receive the attention you want and need.”
“How often should we call in?” one member of the audience asked. The response was, “We want you to call in as often as it takes for you to feel safe.” When someone suggested going to the local dealer to buy drugs for evidence, Sergeant Hughes said, “That’s a dangerous idea. It could put your life at risk. Let’s get a good relationship between this community and the police and work together.”
Throughout the meeting Sergeant Hughes had taken notes concerning specific issues and concerns, and promised to look into them. At 7:30 he glanced at his watch and closed the meeting. For him it wasn’t the end though. A number of individuals lined up to speak with him. Others gathered around Constable Rogers, who had accompanied the Sergeant. Small discussions continued elsewhere in the hall.
For those in attendance, the forum provided insight into the challenges of police work. For many it also pointed to the importance of collaborating with the police and local organizations to construct a community in which we feel safe. “It’s a good beginning,” Russ Stony said. Sergeant Hughes agreed it was a productive first step, but recognized more needs to be done. “I’m prepared to come out again,” he said, “possibly in 4 to 6 months.”