On Oct. 16, Coquitlam RCMP closed off Plateau Boulevard on Westwood Plateau between Chartwell Green and Paddock Drive for approximately seven hours.
At the time, a number of area residents tweeted to @cqrcmp to ask what was going on. The local Mounties’ online response: No crime was committed, public safety wasn’t at risk, we won’t be releasing any more information.
Last Friday, a number of people tweeted to @cqrcmp after they witnessed what seemed to be a major arrest in the area of Poirier Street and Como Lake Avenue in Coquitlam involving, by at least one account, 10 police cars and officers with weapons drawn.
Nearby Parkland elementary school was placed on “hold and secure” — i.e., students weren’t being let out. The local Mounties’ online response to several queries: “There was a police incident, that’s been resolved. Public safety wasn’t at risk. There isn’t any add’tl info.”
In the first instance, we still don’t know what prompted that long road closure. In last Friday’s incident, we found out Monday police were responding after reports of gun shots. They said an elderly man had fired at birds in his yard with a shotgun. He was arrested and no charges have been laid yet.
In both cases, the Coquitlam RCMP’s responses to the sincere and legitimate concerns and questions of the public were simply not good enough.
Whether our local Mounties like it or not, many people communicate with businesses and public bodies using social media.
Whether the cops who ably protect and serve Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam like it or not, many people aren’t as trusting of public bodies and police as, perhaps, they once were.
Both of the cases cited above involve something happening in a public place. In the incident last week, shots were fired, and heard, not far from an elementary school. People naturally have questions.
Thus, this approach — another response last Friday was “There wasn’t any #TakeDown. There was a police incident, but it’s been resolved without issue.” — doesn’t cut it.
Coquitlam RCMP — and @cqrcmp — have to do better.
@TriCityNews
