Category: Canada

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

As part of the RCMP’s ongoing efforts to be transparent and accountable to the communities we serve, RCMP officers in Northwest Territories will start using body-worn cameras.

The use of these cameras will be complemented by a digital evidence management system that will be used to store and manage body-worn video.

Starting on November 22^nd, 2024, body-worn cameras will be worn by RCMP officers working in the Yellowknife detachment. Officers will be trained in groups. Because of this, the public can expect to see some officers with cameras and some without until all have the opportunity to attend the required training. The body-worn camera rollout in Yellowknife is expected to be completed in early December.

Other detachments in the Northwest Territories will have body-worn cameras and the digital evidence management system rolled out to them in a phased approach over the next 6-8 months.

Body-worn cameras can help increase trust between police and the communities they serve because the video evidence collected will provide an independent, unbiased, and objective way to capture interactions between the community and police officers. It will also help resolve public complaints more quickly, and improve evidence gathering.

RCMP officers will usually be wearing their body-worn cameras on their chest. The public will know it’s recording when a red light is visible and flashing below the lens of the camera. A green light will be visible when the camera is not recording.

Front-line police officers will be carrying cards with information on body-worn cameras. The same information will be available on posters placed in public areas throughout NWT communities. These materials have been produced in the 11 official languages of the Northwest Territories.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Shortly after midnight on November 12^th, 2024, officers of the Behchokǫ̀ RCMP conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle on Highway #3 outside Edzo. Contraband tobacco was observed in the vehicle and all occupants were subsequently placed under arrest.

A search of the vehicle turned up a loaded handgun, approximately 25 grams of suspected crack-cocaine and $30,000 in cash.

As a result, 35-year-old John Antoine and 26-year-old Jessica Sabourin, both of Hay River and a 16-year-old youth from Toronto have been charged with:

• Possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking, contrary to section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

· Possession of property obtained by crime, contrary to section 354(1)(a) of the Criminal Code

· Possession of a restricted firearm (loaded), contrary to section 95(1) of the Criminal Code

· Possession of a restricted firearm in a vehicle, contrary to section 94(1) of the Criminal Code

· Unauthorized possession of a prohibited device, contrary to section 92(2) of the Criminal Code

· Unauthorized possession of a restricted firearm, contrary to section 92(1) of the Criminal Code

· Possession of a restricted firearm without a licence, contrary to section 91(1) of the Criminal Code

• Possession of weapon and prohibited device (handgun and magazine) contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code

Sabourin and Antoine appeared before a Justice of the Peace and were subsequently remanded into custody to appear later on November 13^th, 2024. The Toronto youth also appeared before a Justice of the Peace and was released from custody with a condition to leave the Northwest Territories.

John Antoine appeared in a previous NT RCMP press release issued on March 21^st, 2024, having been charged after the execution of a search warrant in Hay River where Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine were found at a residence.

Photo: Seizure

Anyone with information on this matter is asked to contact the Behchokǫ̀ RCMP at 392-1111 or Crime Stoppers at http://www.p3tips.com. In the event of an emergency call, 911.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On November 9^th, 2024, Yellowknife RCMP attempted to stop a vehicle for a document check in downtown Yellowknife. The vehicle immediately fled from police, who did not pursue given the public safety risk. The vehicle was located in the Chateau Nova parking lot where it began circling and ignoring police attempts to stop it once again.

Given the dynamic and unpredictable nature of the situation, responding officers requested all hotel guests shelter inside the building until the incident concluded.

The vehicle fled from police onto a nearby walking trail. Shortly after this, the driver exited the vehicle and continued to flee from police on foot, breaking into a nearby residence in the process.

Officers pursued the suspect into the residence and arrested him. The occupants of the residence took shelter from the subject and were not injured.

As a result of the investigation, 40-year-old Daniel Lennie of Fort Good Hope has been charged with:

• Flight from police, contrary to section 320.17 of the Criminal Code

· Operation of a vehicle while prohibited, contrary to section 320.18 of the Criminal Code

· Breaking, entering and committing an indictable offence, contrary to section 348(1)(b) of the Criminal Code

· Resisting a peace officer, contrary to section 129(a) of the Criminal Code

• Fail to comply with release order conditions, contrary to section 145(5)(a) of the Criminal code

At the time of his arrest, Lennie was subject to house arrest conditions, having been previously released on bail. He was also subject to a driving prohibition.

Lennie appeared before a Justice of the Peace and was remanded into custody.

Anyone with information on this matter is asked to contact the Yellowknife RCMP at 669-1111 or Crime Stoppers at http://www.p3tips.com. In the event of an emergency call, 911.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Caraquet RCMP is asking for the public’s help following an armed robbery in Bas-Caraquet, N.B.

On December 28, 2024, at approximately 5:08 p.m., an individual entered a business on St-Paul Street, in Bas-Caraquet, and demanded money from the cashier. The individual then fled the scene in a dark SUV, with an undisclosed amount of money. No one was injured during the incident.

The individual is described as a man, with a medium build and medium height. At the time of the theft, he was wearing a mask, sunglasses, and was armed with a baseball bat. A photo of the individual or the vehicle used is not available at this time.

If you have information that may help further the investigation, please contact the Caraquet RCMP at 506-726-5222. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

On December 29, 2024, at approximately 4:45 am, Thompson RCMP responded to a report of gunshots on Nickel Road.

Officers responded immediately and attended to a residence where they located a 40-year-old male with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Emergency medical responders attended the scene and the victim was transported to hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury.

Officers immediately began patrols for the suspect vehicle which had been stolen from the residence.

A short time later, a traffic stop was conducted on the suspect vehicle. When the officer approached the vehicle, both a male and female that were inside fled on foot.

35-year-old Aaron Pronteau and 31-year-old Chelsea Flett were quickly apprehended and arrested.

Pronteau was charged with Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Assault, and Robbery with a Firearm.

Flett was charged with Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, and Fail to Comply with Release Order Condition. Both have been remanded.

Thompson RCMP are still looking for one suspect involved and have issued a Warrant for Arrest for 37-year-old Jonathan Boychuk.

Boychuk is considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.

If anyone has information on his whereabouts please call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Blackville RCMP is asking for the public’s help to locate a stolen all-terrain vehicle (ATV) from Halcomb, N.B.

The theft is believed to have occurred sometime during the overnight hours of December 26, 2024, at a camp on Halcomb Road, in Halcomb.

The ATV is described as a camouflage 2023 Can-Am Outlander 850 Max with New Brunswick licence plate YF7 678, and vehicle identification number 3JBLPAU49PJ003163. A photo of the ATV is not available at this time.

If you have seen the ATV since December 26, 2024, or if you have information that could help further the investigation, please contact the Blackville RCMP at 506-843-9400. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Yarmouth Rural RCMP has charged a man with firearm and drug trafficking offences after responding to a local motel and seizing a loaded firearm and cocaine from a room.

On December 24, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Yarmouth Rural RCMP, with assistance of Yarmouth Town RCMP, responded to a complaint of a distressed man at a local motel who was believed to be armed. When officers arrived, they secured the motel and advised other guests to shelter in place. Officers safely arrested the man without incident. No one else was inside the room at the time of the incident.

Officers’ subsequently executed a search warrant and seized a loaded pistol, ammunition, and a quantity of cocaine inside the room.

Diontai MacDonald-Sparks, 21, of Dartmouth, has been charged with:

• Possession of a Firearm Contrary to Order (two counts)
• Unauthorized Possession of Firearm
• Possession of firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized
• Careless Use of Firearm
• Possession of prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
• Failure to comply with probation order
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (cocaine)

MacDonald-Sparks was remanded into custody and will next appear in Yarmouth Provincial Court on December 30.

File #2024-1861158

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Bay St. George RCMP arrested a man on December 24^th for flight from police and resisting arrest.

Around 1:30 a.m., Bay St. George RCMP attempted a traffic stop with a vehicle on Carolina Avenue, in Stephenville. The vehicle fled from police at a high rate of speed. Officers located the vehicle stuck in snow/mud near Dump Road, outside of Stephenville. They then engaged in a foot pursuit and subsequently arrested a 31-year-old male for Flight from Police and Resisting Arrest.

The vehicle was impounded and several tickets were issued. The male was released to attend court at a later date.

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment arrests man following motor vehicle collision in Kingswood.

On December 28 at approximately 1:15 p.m., RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment, with assistance of Halifax Regional Police, responded to a motor vehicle collision at Larry Uteck Blvd. and Hammonds Plains Rd. Responding officers learned that a black Mazda M3 struck a white infinity Q50. The driver of the Mazda M3 then got out of his vehicle and attempted to take a Ford Focus that had stopped at the collision. The suspect ran toward a nearby gas station, and was not immediately located by officers. No injuries resulting from the collision were reported to police.

Through the investigation, officers identified the suspect and located him a short time later at a residence on White Hills Run in Hammonds Plains with assistance of RCMP Police Dog Services. The 29-year-old man of Hammonds Plains did not immediately comply with officers’ directions to exit the home. After several attempts to have the man exit, he was safely arrested outside the residence.

The man was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court on December 30.

The investigation into the collision is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment at 902-490-5020. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

File # 24-176120

Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Update – Kinkaid Thomas has been safely located.

The RCMP thanks the public and the media for their assistance.

==========================================

On December 16, 2024, at 3:00 pm, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 26-year-old male from a residence located on Brandon Crescent in Thompson.

Kinkaid Thomas, from Bunibonibee Cree Nation, was last seen earlier in the morning on December 16, at approximately 12:05 am, and he has yet to make contact with friends or family.

He’s described as being 5’9″, 160lbs with brown hair & brown eyes & has a moustache. He was last seen wearing a grey jacket and black pants.

If you’ve seen Kinkaid Thomas or have any information on his whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.