A police car was parked in front of the Osoyoos RCMP detachment last Wednesday holding up yellow police tape warning the public not to approach the building. The detachment was closed to the public until explosives experts from Vancouver could determine that a suspicious package left in front of the detachment was in fact safe. (Richard McGuire photo)
The Osoyoos RCMP detachment was closed most of the day last Wednesday until an explosives expert determined that a suspicious package found on the driveway was not a threat.
The package was found around 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 27 and a note attached made it clear the package was intended to be found by police.
An RCMP explosives expert sent from Vancouver determined the package was not a threat and the detachment was reopened around 4 p.m.
“Our explosives disposal unit came up and checked on it and found there were no explosives whatsoever,” said Cpl. Jason Bayda, acting detachment commander. “There’s no biological hazard whatsoever and the substance that was found is non-threatening to anyone. It came from a concerned anonymous person.”
Bayda said police didn’t want to disclose what the substance was because this might impede efforts to locate the person who left it.
It appeared the person leaving it wanted police to follow up with the makers of the product, believing it to be unsafe, Bayda said. The product, he added, is in fact very safe.
The potential threat led RCMP to seal off the detachment with a police car in front of the building and yellow “police line, do not cross” tape strung over the driveway. A sign advised the public of emergency and non-emergency phone numbers and warned “no access beyond this point.” RCMP personnel continued to use the detachment building, using a different entrance.
BC Ambulance also relocated its vehicles to the parking lot in front of Buy Low Foods until the product was identified. Two ambulances remained on standby.
The incident used a lot of police time and resources and the person leaving the package should have approached police directly, Bayda said.
“We have to treat is as serious,” he said. “Without knowing what the substance is, we have to err on the side of caution and safety of everyone, the public and our members.”
The explosives disposal unit had to travel all the way from Vancouver, he pointed out, noting this is costly and a waste of time.
“They (the person leaving the package) wanted it to be anonymous, but they didn’t do it the right way, with the time and money and resources affected,” said Bayda.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
Yellow police tape blocked access to the Osoyoos RCMP Detachment last Wednesday. Police said a suspicious package was left on the driveway in front of the detachment. An explosives unit is came from Vancouver and determined that the package was safe. (Richard McGuire photo)
BC Ambulance relocated two ambulances, which were on standby in the parking lot in front of Buy Low Foods when a suspicious package led to the closure of Osoyoos RCMP detachment. (Richard McGuire photo)
