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Busy but peaceful long weekend for RCMP

Integrated Gang Task Force presence bolsters Whistler-based officers

The Whistler RCMP, bolstered by additional officers from the Lower Mainland and even the Integrated Gang Task Force, were kept hopping through the infamous Victoria Day long weekend celebrations in Whistler.

However, despite a large number of calls related to drugs and alcohol it was a generally peaceful weekend.

"My impression - and speaking to residents I've heard the same - is that people are certainly more aware of the increased police presence," said RCMP Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair. "I'm gratified to see how few serious incidents there were. I think that the enforcement this year and in previous years is starting to pay dividends. I predicted three years ago that if we put a strong presence out there then word would get out, and it's much improved from past years."

Over the three nights the RCMP handed out 75 tickets, including 48 bylaw tickets and 27 violation tickets. Most of the offences were related to alcohol, including numerous drunk-in-public fines.

There were a few fights and assaults as well, including one case that involved a knife.

At 10:19 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, the RCMP received a report from a hotel about a fight in progress, in which one male pulled a knife on another male. When the police arrived the men were gone, but with a description they managed to find the male with a knife. The story was that a group of males attacked another male in the village when the suspect got involved trying to break up the fight. When the group turned on him, he pulled the knife to warn off the attacked and pulled the other male away.

The RCMP is still investigating and had not pressed any weapons charges against the 23-year-old Ontario male who is living in Vancouver.

At 10:30 p.m., an RCMP foot patrol found an injured male bleeding from a face wound. According the male and witnesses, he had been sucker-punched by another male described only as Asian, six feet tall with a grey hoodie and black t-shirt. He may have had a "Mohawk" hairstyle.

Other incidents of fighting were more minor, and had broken up before the police arrived.

As well as patrolling the village, the RCMP broke up eight noisy parties and helped management evict guests from hotel rooms on six separate occasions for noise, drugs and alcohol.

There were also numerous arrests for being drunk in public, where people were so intoxicated that they were taken into custody for their own safety. Nine individuals were taken in, found wandering or sleeping in the village, or unable to take care of themselves.

The police were also busy on the roads. There were 10 suspensions over the weekend for drugs and alcohol, including two novice drivers that were stopped with trace alcohol in their systems - below the legal limit, but new drivers are not allowed to have any alcohol in their systems.

 

Attempted bike theft under investigation

Just after 9 a.m. on May 23, a resident in Bear Ridge intercepted a thief who was attempting to load his bike into a vehicle. The thief left in a vehicle, which was later located by police in West Vancouver containing other items that may have been stolen. The RCMP is investigating the vehicle and driver.