CTV Atlantic has learned a Nova Scotia RCMP officer who failed to engage his flashing lights at a checkpoint will be spoken to and made aware of the policy.
Safety concerns were raised after a video taken at nighttime in Waterville, N.S. showed the RCMP pulling over drivers without engaging their flashing red and blue lights, which is against policy.
“It’s unsafe. Somebody’s going to get hurt or killed,” said Wayne Bezanson, who recorded the video. “It’s about time it got stopped.”
An officer approached Bezanson while he was filming and asked what he was doing. In the video, Bezanson can be heard asking why the flashing lights aren’t on and whether that is against police protocol.
The officer tells Bezanson it isn’t, but the RCMP’s official spokesperson confirmed that it is against protocol under the RCMP’s national policy.
“The emergency equipment on the police vehicle needs to be active at all times during the contact with the person who’s being stopped,” said RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke.
The RCMP has confirmed the officer will be spoken to by his supervisor and that the policy will be reviewed with the member to ensure it is followed in the future.
Bezanson says the incident isn’t an isolated one and that he is part of a Facebook group that encourages motorists to report unlit checkpoints and record video to prove it.
Bill Rodda, who started the Facebook group, says he gets reports of unlit checkpoints regularly.
“I would like to see accountability,” said Rodda. “Maybe their staff sergeant doesn’t know that they’re doing these, and if they are, maybe they need to be reprimanded.”
Rodda says he wants to make it clear he’s not opposed to police checkpoints, he just wants them to be safe.
“The roadblocks are set up to make a road safer, but the officers doing these practices are marking our roads infinitely more dangerous,” he said.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kayla Hounsell
