What Is Patrolling?
Patrolling with our group looks different from person to person. There isn’t a set-in stone method, so if you have spare time to take a drive, that’s where it all starts. We have radios available for use with other members patrolling at simultaneous times.
Most activity tends to take place between 11:00pm and 7:00am. This isn’t the only time things happen, however it’s when most theft takes place due to the majority of people in town are sleeping.
Some members use they’re normal commuting time to make patrols. When picking up their kids or running around town, they’ll take a detour past some of the known areas of activity, or a recent hotspot. There may be an active missing vehicle that they look for, or other stolen property. They may take the time to watch for new vehicles in and out of the known hot spots and take some pictures or videos of license plates or suspicious events or people.
Some members will head out during busy times and patrol for 2 to 6 hours, hitting every street, alley, industrial area they can, or driving around some of the rural areas that are known hotspots. They may investigate some known heavy activity areas or pursue known crime in progress to gather information / report ongoing activity to RCMP.
You may come across suspicious people, people clearly on drugs, or people committing crimes. What to do?
Depending on your comfort level, if you see someone suspicious, feel free to ask them what they’re up to. Don’t come off as aggressive because you don’t want to start any unwanted altercations. If you’re uncomfortable talking to people, you can message the group with radios or the signal group and let them know what’s going on.
Depending on comfort level, if you witness crime in progress, call the RCMP first. Use protocol below. You can follow from a distance if able to do so and wait for police. You don’t have to try and detain them or put yourself in danger. It’s always best to patrol with at least one more person if possible. Some cases, you may be able to scare the thieves away and stay at the scene until police arrive. Every instance is different, so always lean on the side of caution.
If it’s a serious situation, don’t hesitate to call 911.
Try your best to document everything if you can. When you witness something going on, take pictures, write down license plate numbers, descriptions of vehicles and people, what time and where. Everything you can. The more you can relay to the group or the police, the better chance we have of taking them down.
Note: At times, we’ve convoyed as a group in front of known drug houses and theft houses to let them know they’re being watched, and there is a presence in town. This isn’t always the case, however it’s best to keep the criminals worried that they’re being watched. Constance presence is key.