Redwater RCMP report

The Redwater Detachment received 229 calls for service over the month of May. These calls included 2 assault with a weapon, 10 Break and Enters, 2 Frauds, 7 Mischiefs, 7 Thefts, 4 Theft of Motor Vehicles, and 18 motor vehicle collisions.

The month started off with the detachment receiving a call of a known offender failing to obey the conditions of his release. When police attended the residence to check and see if the offender was following his curfew, it was determined that he was not.

Additional follow up curfew checks conducted by officers resulted in the offender making it clear that he did not intend on following release conditions. As a result, officers applied for and were granted an arrest warrant which resulted in the offender being arrested in Fort Saskatchewan on May 30, 2022.

As a result of the investigation, Geordie Vern Wilson, 34, of Thorhild County, Alberta is charged with 5 counts of Failing to Comply with Conditions of a Release Order.

Geordie Vern Wilson was remanded in custody and is due next to appear in Fort Saskatchewan Provincial Court on June 9, 2022.

On May 5, 2022 at approximately 8:30 a.m. the detachment received a complaint of two males on bikes that were in the process of breaking into an abandoned residence within the town of Redwater. Officers responded immediately and located a 60-year-old male and a 55-year-old male, both from Edmonton, Alberta, breaking into the residence, with a window in hand. The two males advised that they were hired to complete renovations on a different residence within the town of Redwater. The males advised that they needed replacement windows in order to complete the renovations and thought that it would be alright if they took the windows out of the abandoned residence to use. As a result of their actions the two males are now facing criminal charges. The Redwater RCMP would like to remind the public to ensure that they are conducting reference checks on contractors prior to having work done on your residence.

On May 19, 2022 the Redwater RCMP received information from a neighbouring detachment that a stolen truck was traveling east on Highway 28 near Radway. Officers were able to locate the stolen truck and conducted a traffic stop. When police attempted to arrest the driver and remove him from the vehicle the truck sped off nearly hitting the officer making the arrest. A short distance later the male suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area. Officers from the Redwater RCMP, Redwater Traffic, Smoky Lake RCMP, the Eastern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit, and an officer from ‘K’ Division Police Dog Services saturated the area and conducted a search for the male suspect who was then located and arrested a short

distance away. When arrested, the driver of the vehicle was also found to be in possession of a knife and brass knuckles.

As a result of the investigation, Mark Andrew Tremblay, 32, of Conklin, Alberta is charged with:

• 2 counts of Possessing a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose.
• Flight from Police.
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5000.
• 4 counts of Failing to Comply with a Probation Order.
• Possession of a Controlled Drug/Substance (Methamphetamine).
• Resist Arrest.
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon.
• Dangerous Operation of a Motor Vehicle.

In addition to the above charges there was also a Canada-Wide warrant for the arrest of Mark Andrew Tremblay as a result of a Parole Violation and being unlawfully at large at the time.

Mark Andrew Tremblay was remanded in custody and is due next to appear in Fort Saskatchewan Provincial Court on June 9, 2022.

Redwater Detachment received an anonymous letter from a concerned citizen regarding stunting vehicles in the detachment area. The letter identified individuals responsible for driving in a careless manner and stunting on area roadways. I would like to take the time to thank this individual for the information that they provided regarding these incidents but would also like to discuss the roles and responsibilities that the public plays in the justice system and addressing illegal activities in their communities. There are many different ways that a police investigation can result in the laying of charges against the guilty individuals. Some of these are if police witness the act directly or if the investigation uncovers evidence leading to the people responsible. The vast majority of times, police end up charging the guilty party based on eye witness accounts from individuals that witnessed the guilty act and provide statements to police identifying the guilty party. Members of the community have always and will always continue to play a valuable role in the Canadian Justice system by witnessing crimes in action, reporting these crimes to police, and attending court to ensure that the individuals committing these acts in their communities are held to account. When police receive “anonymous” information or information from individuals who choose not to provide statements or attend court, our abilities to lay charges on the individuals responsible greatly diminishes as most of the time there is not enough supporting evidence. You are the eyes and ears of your community. While anonymous information remains important to investigations, there are times when anonymous information

cannot get the investigation over the finish line and result in the guilty party being held responsible. When witnesses support police and the investigation by providing statements and attending court the police are able to provide the required grounds and evidence in order to lay charges and hold the individuals responsible.