Law Enforcement During Pandemic

Detachment Supervisor at the Chéticamp RCMP, Cpl Yannick Gagnon, shares his experiences with law enforcement during the pandemic in an interview with CHNE.

On March 22nd, the Nova Scotia government declared a state of emergency, prohibiting access to several public places such as beaches and parks. Since then, the regional RCMP has been more visible in the community, making sure, Cpl Gagnon said, people know the new regulations. “We have given warnings to people. And to be honest, the warnings that we’ve given, they worked.” Police hasn’t issued any tickets in the Chéticamp area. “Obviously this is an education rather than an enforcement phase. I know that Dr. Strang and the premier have asked us to up our enforcement and give out more tickets, but we haven’t had to give out [any] because people when they are told once, they don’t repeat.”

The government has also recommended limiting non-essential trips, yet several residents have reported seeing lots of traffic on the road. Police said there is little they can do about it. “There’s no law for people not to be on the road,’ Gagnon said, and asked community members to think twice before going on a ride. “We’re going on six or seven weeks of isolation and a lot of people are getting a little tired of all this. It’s understandable,” he said. “And we have to use our judgement, too. I can’t go out and do a roadblock and stop every car on the road and tell them to go home. We’re using people’s cooperation and self-awareness of the entire situation to abide by those recommendations from Dr. Strang and Premier McNeil.”

Rules have also changed for travellers. The RCMP pays an initial visit to people coming from outside the country to explain self-isolation regulations, then make random checkups during the following 14 days. Interprovincial travellers also have to self-isolate for two weeks, but verification is less strict. “We rely on their honesty when we ask them when they come in,” Cpl Gagnon said. “It’d be nice to get proof … It is difficult when you’re just traveling from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia to have a kind of proof, unless you stop at the toll booth on the highway and you actually get a receipt, but most people don’t get a receipt for that, right?” he said. “I don’t believe that [border agents] are giving them any kind of document explaining when they entered, unlike other provinces. So, proof definitely helps us out a little bit more, but that’s where if falls on us to investigate a little further.” He recommends that people keep gas receipts, for example.

There are more variations in border-crossing laws. Fishers coming from outside the province have to adhere to the 2-week quarantine, but their boat is considered an extension of their residence. So, they can start working right away but must avoid any contact with other people. “For the most part, everybody has been cooperative,” Cpl Gagnon said. “Even before coming here, they know what they have to do and they understand that some people in the community are not happy that this is happening, so they know that people will call the RCMP if they see them out and about.” 

Still, fishers sell their catch at the end of the day and contact with those receiving the load is possible. The RCMP officer believes that Chéticamp Fisheries (where harvesters sell their crab locally) is being careful. “I’ve talked to the plant supervisors and the plant owner,” he said, “and they are making efforts to make sure that all their workers, whether it be unloaders and the workers in the plant are social distancing as much as possible. But obviously, on the boat, the distancing would be somewhat difficult between crews and unloaders.”