McBride RCMP Report: February 2025
By Cpl. Kelly Barrie, McBride RCMP
During the month of February, the McBride RCMP had 21 calls for service from the public which resulted in one criminal charge. There were several calls related to checking the wellbeing of individuals in the community, civil mediations, and traffic complaints.
The most prevalent call for service was due to collisions on Highway 16 with a total six calls for service. All six collisions were due to weather related issues on the roadway and drivers failing to account for the icy or snowy conditions.
The McBride RCMP wants to remind everyone to drive more cautiously in winter conditions. There will be an increased stopping distance due to winter conditions and drivers should increase their following distance of other vehicles and mind their speed while going through turns in the road. The McBride RCMP also wants to remind everyone to stop at railway crossings and ensure that the tracks are clear prior to proceeding.
The McBride RCMP worked closely with CVSE (Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement) to locate and identify an impaired driver. CVSE was performing an inspection on a semi truck and believed the driver may be impaired by drugs prompting them to contact the McBride RCMP.
The McBride RCMP attended and performed a field sobriety test on the driver and determined that he was impaired by marijuana. The drivers’ license was seized, he was prohibited from driving, and the semi truck was impounded. There are stiff penalties related to impaired driving and everyone should ensure they are sober before planning to get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
The McBride RCMP also engaged in community events throughout the month of February:
On February 25th, Cst. Nataline Cooke attended the McBride ice rink and used a laser to determine the speed of each player of the figure skating club. The fastest speed recorded was 29 km per hour!
Also on February 25th, Cpl. Kelly Barrie and Cst. Hayden McIntee hosted children from the McBride Evangelical Free Church on a detachment tour. The kids were able to visit the cell block and were lucky to bring a volunteer with them willing to be the model for the various types of restraints a police officer may use when making an arrest. Then all kids posed for “mugshots” and had their fingerprints taken as part of an RCMP Identification Kit in case they ever were reported missing. The tour was of course completed by all the kids taking a turn operating the police vehicle’s emergency equipment (lights and sirens).
On February 26th, Cst. Hayden McIntee attended the McBride Centennial school to participate in Pink Shirt Day with principal Jason Schwartz. McIntee visited several classrooms to engage with the kids in anti-bullying messaging.
