Tag: Wood Buffalo RCMP

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Ft Mac

5 Year Old Injured in Dog Attack, Owner Sought by Wood Buffalo RCMP

dog attack, Wood Buffalo RCMP

A 5 year old girl was injured in a dog attack and the Wood Buffalo RCMP are trying to track down the owner of the dog or anyone who witnessed the attack last Tuesday. The child was riding her bike in the area close to Rattlepan Creek Drive in Timberlea. The girl was on the sidewalk at around 9:15 pm when she encountered two adult females who were walking with a dog that was on a leash. The dog attacked the 5 year old, biting her before the attack stopped. When the girl went home her parents took her to the hospital where she was treated for the injuries she suffered during the attack from the dog before being released. The incident was reported to the local police.

The Wood Buffalo RCMP is investigating the dog attack and is asking the public for help in identifying the dog, the owner, and the two adult females who were walking the dog that evening. According to the report the dog involved is an orange and white dog and is a bulldog breed. The adult female who was walking the dog with a leash is described as a blonde woman, and she was wearing black pants and a blue shirt on the evening the incident occurred. Animal Control is assisting the Woof Buffalo RCMP with the investigation, and both organizations are asking for the dog’s owner to come forward or for anyone else who has any information to contact the police. Hopefully the 5 year old will fully recover, both physically and mentally.

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Ft Mac

Wood Buffalo RCMP Respond to Gunshots Reported, Find Injured Man Unresponsive

gunshots reported, Wood Buffalo RCMP

On Friday, July 24, 2015 Wood Buffalo RCMP responded to gunshots reported at approximately 2 am, and officers found an injured man unresponsive in the area. The injured 38 year old man was transported to the hospital with injuries that were regarded as life threatening. The RCMP released a press release stating that they do not believe that the shooting was random. The RCMP is still being close lipped about whether the recent shooting is related to previous shootings in Fort MacMurray. Officers are investigating and want to find information about suspicious activities that took place in the areas of Beacon Hill and Gregoire between the hours of midnight and 7 am on Friday morning.

The gunshots reported, and the injured male found by the Wood Buffalo RCMP, have many concerned about what seems to be an increase in violent crimes in the Fort MacMurray area. All residents are encouraged to contact the RCMP and to report any suspicious activity that they see or know about. Community members play an important role in preventing and fighting crime. It is important to remember to stay safe though. You should not confront any individual that you believe was involved with a crime. Instead contact the Wood Buffalo RCMP and tell authorities what you know so that they can take appropriate action without putting yourself at risk. So far the name of the male victim involved in the shooting has not been released, and no further details on his condition have been made public.

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Ft Mac

Thickwood Assault Under Investigation by Wood Buffalo RCMP

Thickwood assault, Wood Buffalo RCMP

The Wood Buffalo RCMP is investigating a Thickwood assault that happened last Tuesday. According to RCMP spokesperson Const. Mylene Michon the assault occurred at approximately 4 pm near the intersection of Signal Road and Eymundson Drive, with a male suspect being identified and a bystander who witnessed the crime as it occurred from the vantage point of a nearby apartment building. Police believe that the suspect used a black Ford pickup truck in order to flee the scene. The assault left the 29 year old victim, a male resident of Fort MacMurray, injured. The injured male was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and then released some time later. So far the police have not confirmed whether a weapon was used in the assault, but spokesperson Michon did tell the media that the injuries the 29 year old male received were consistent with something more serious than an unarmed assault.

The Wood Buffalo RCMP has not released the name of the suspect in the Thickwood assault but the RCMP spokesperson did say that they know who the suspect is and where the suspect resides. With this information the police should be able to locate the suspect without too much trouble. According to Michon “If after a few days of continuous searching they don’t find him most likely they’re just going to issue a warrant and let him know so he can turn himself in.” It is not believed that the suspect poses any danger to the public or any further danger to the assault victim. Public assistance is not needed at this point in the investigation.

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Ft Mac Politics

Body Camera Footage Will Not be Released to Public According to Wood Buffalo RCMP Spokesperson

body camera footage, Wood Buffalo RCMP

The Wood Buffalo RCMP is one of the detachments that will be wearing body cameras while they patrol and answer calls. A spokesperson for the law enforcement agency has stated that the body camera footage captured by the officers will not be released to the public unless there is a specific reason for the release. Wood Buffalo RCMP spokesperson Cst. Annie Delisle discussed the decision in a recent email, stating “For privacy and evidentiary reasons any video captured by RCMP members would not be available for public viewing other than possibly during court proceedings and trials. Recordings may be available through the Access to Information Act depending on the nature of the recording and if the recording forms a part of an investigation. Generally speaking, recordings would not be shared outside of Wood Buffalo Detachment.”

In some situations the body camera footage captured by the Wood Buffalo RCMP officers could be shared with other law enforcement agencies if the recordings are part of a major crimes investigation or involved numerous jurisdictions. Spokesperson Delisle also stated that “With today’s mobile technology, police are being recorded by the public during many interactions. Body worn video provides increased transparency and accountability for everyone, while also providing a first-person view of what a police officer encounters, oftentimes in highly dynamic and tense situations.” The body camera project will have 12 officers from the Wood Buffalo RCMP wearing the equipment during their shifts. The hope is that the cameras provide another way to monitor police and community member actions for a higher degree of accountability on both sides of the equation.

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Ft Mac

Wearable Body Cameras to be Tested by Wood Buffalo RCMP

body cameras, Wood Buffalo RCMP

Wood Buffalo RCMP will be testing out new body cameras that officers will wear during their shifts. The idea behind the body cameras is that there will be more accountability, not just from police officers but also from citizens who come into contact with the officers. 12 members of the Wood Buffalo RCMP have been testing out the wearable body cameras since June 12 as part of the initial trial project, and they have been recording all of their interactions with the public. Other departments are also taking part in the trial project, and these include RCMP in Indian Head, and also Windsor, Nova Scotia. The move comes at a time when public sentiment in the USA seems to be against law enforcement, and many law enforcement officials are also in favor of the cameras so that an entire situation is recorded. Across North America cameras have caught police officers and members of the public acting badly, and there are two sides to every story.

The goal with wearable body cameras is to ensure that an encounter is fully documented, and both sides benefit when this happens. When discussing the use of body cameras by the Wood Buffalo RCMP Sgt. Keith Horwood said in a statement “The body worn camera project won’t impact day-to-day operations in Wood Buffalo. However, it is important for local citizens to realize that if you come into contact with an RCMP officer over the next four months, the possibility exists that the interaction will be filmed.”

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Ft Mac

Wood Buffalo RCMP Releases Photo of Shooting Suspect

Wood Buffalo RCMP, shooting suspect

The Wood Buffalo RCMP has released a photo of a suspect they say was involved in a recent shooting at the Morrison Centre. Last Tuesday the RCMP received a report of shots fired inside the Morrison Centre located downtown in Fort MacMurray. The report of shots fired came in at approximately 9:30 in the morning. No one was injured when police arrived at the centre and there is security footage of the inside of the facility. Police have released an image of a male suspect that they believe may have been involved in the shooting. The image shows a black male who is approximately 30-40 years old. In the image the suspect is wearing black pants and a North Face jacket that is a blue two tone in color.

After releasing the image of the shooting suspect the Wood Buffalo RCMP is asking the public for help in identifying the male. According to Wood Buffalo RCMP spokesperson Cpl. George Cameron the police have already identified the firearm type that was used in the crime but this information has not been released by the investigators yet because the investigation is still going on. Cameron remarked “Fortunately, no one was hurt.” As the spokesperson Cameron told the media that the investigators can not yet release where the shots fired ended up or even where the suspect was standing when the shooting started. Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has any information about the Morrison Centre shooting should contact the Wood Buffalo RCMP at 780-788-4244 or contact the Tips line anonymously using tipsubmit.com or 1-800-222-8477.