by Jon McCormick
We wanted to let our Rural Crime Watch members know that after our column dealing with abandoned 9-1-1 calls last week and the importance of not wasting valuable resources on tracking them by notifying 9-1-1 the call was an accident, another scenerio was reported.
Here is a recent incident that occurred that shows how important the system can be for those who really need it.
Kudos to our Mounties and Telus for tracking the cell call and for our members making an arrest.
Here is the police report:
Abandoned 911 call for assistance
At approximately 11:42 A.M. on August 13th, 2011 Peace Regional R.C.M.P. operators received a 9-1-1 call for assistance from a female in distress. The female was just beginning to explain the nature of her emergency when the operator heard background noises and buttons being pressed on the female’s cell phone. The cell phone then suddenly disconnected before the female could explain where she was. A track of the cell phone’s global positioning system coordinates lead investigators from Peace River to the Town of Grimshaw when the track ended.
Members from Peace Regional R.C.M.P. with assistance from Telus Communications, Red Earth Creek , Fairview and High Prairie R.C.M.P., including Police Dog Services (P.D.S.), made attempts to locate the female in distress all over the Peace Region throughout the afternoon. The female was eventually located unharmed along with the accused at approximately 5 P.M. in Marten Lake.
Dennis James LABOUCAN 32 years of age, of Little Buffalo, was arrested in Marten Lake and stands charged with 1 count of assault against the female victim, and 1 count of mischief to property under $5000 for breaking the victim’s phone in half while she was trying to speak with the 9-1-1 operator.
LABOUCAN’s first appearance in Peace River court was Monday August 15th, 2011.