The RCMP are accepting responsibility for damaging a Central Alberta elk rancher’s property during a police chase.
Grace Reitsma said officers from Blackfalds RCMP realized when they inspected the broken elk fencing on her property on Wednesday that police cruisers did not stay on public roads while chasing a suspect last Friday.
“The officers were trying to tell us it was just a short chase on Aspelund Road, but when they looked at our fences, they said, ‘Oh. I guess it was here,’ ” said Reitsma.
Blackfalds RCMP Sgt. James Derouin said Reitsma will be compensated for the part of the damage caused by police vehicles, but not the damage caused by the fleeing suspect. Tire treads will help identify the vehicles.
Derouin added that the pursuing officers felt justified in chasing a motorist onto private land because they believed the man was armed and dangerous.
Police were acting on a tip that Ian Legge was in the area. He has a Canadawide warrant issued for his arrest after allegedly trying to run down some Mounties.
Officers from two area detachments, as well as an emergency response team and a police dog, were used to track the suspect during a vehicle and foot chase, but he got away. RCMP still aren’t sure whether the suspect was Legge.
Reitsma was told that the police dog got hurt after becoming entangled in the broken elk fencing.
She and her husband returned home from holidays earlier this week to discover eight to 10 vehicle-sized holes in their heavy wire elk fencing, and their 60 animals mixing together in rutting season. One bull was outside the fencing and needed to be rounded up on Monday morning.
Reitsma complained there was no explanatory note left by police and that no one had tried to keep the herd animals contained inside the broken fence.
Derouin said the Reitsmas were inadvertently overlooked because they weren’t home. As for the elk, they should have been considered, but police officers likely had other priorities at the time, he added.
Reitsma is glad the RCMP have accepted responsibility for some of the damage. While fence repairs are underway, she said, “it’s a lot harder to fix fencing than to install it,” because of broken posts.
Elk fencing is much higher and more dense than typical farm fencing, making it considerably more expensive.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com