No call too small or remote for Coquitlam RCMP

Coquitlam, Public Alert

2024-07-18 12:38 PDT

File # 2024-18346

Coquitlam RCMP are reminding the public that they can report any suspicious activity, person or structure no matter how small or remote the location may be.

The Coquitlam RCMP Rural unit responded to a report of a suspicious structure along Pitt River on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Police had been advised that a witness observed two people in a vessel, stop along the shoreline of Pitt River to set up a solar panel in the nearby brush. The area is only accessible by boat as there are no nearby roadways or trails.

Coquitlam RCMP officer faces the front of the police boat as it travels through Pitt River

View a larger image - Coquitlam RCMP officer faces the front of the police boat as it travels through Pitt River

When officers arrived by boat, they observed a solar panel partially obstructed from view by the surrounding brush.

A singular solar panel erected onto a wooden frame surrounded by grass, bushes and trees.

View a larger image - A singular solar panel erected onto a wooden frame surrounded by grass, bushes and trees.

Due to the shallow depth of the water near the shoreline, Police could not bring the boat to shore. Rural officers are often faced with many obstacles when responding to calls for service. In this case, the determined officer concluded that he could walk in the shallow water to the shoreline. For safety purposes, the other officer remained in the boat.

We knew we couldn’t access the solar panel by boat as the water was too shallow and muddy, said Constable Taylor Schmidt of Coquitlam’s Rural Unit. To ensure that I wouldn’t lose a boot if it got stuck in the mud, I took them off to carry across the water until I reached the shoreline. To maintain my personal safety around the water, I kept my life jacket on as I knew I would be walking through water and along the shoreline.

Constable Schmidt walking through the muddy water carrying his work boots in one hand and wearing a life jacket to investigate the solar panel.

View a larger photo - Constable Schmidt walking through the muddy water carrying his work boots in one hand and wearing a life jacket to investigate the solar panel.

Constable Schmidt walking along the store line, with his boots on, to investigate the solar panel

View a larger photo - Constable Schmidt walking along the store line, with his boots on, to investigate the solar panel

Once police were able to walk along the shoreline, they discovered a sign detailing a White Sturgeon habitat project which required solar power for a nearby transponder. The project is aimed at tagging, monitoring, free-living sturgeon to understand their migration behaviour and habitat use.

This is a call that I am going to remember for the rest of my career, laughed Constable Schmidt. I never expected that I would be waded through muddy water barefoot, to investigate a file. But it was the most effective and safest way to determine what the structure was and ensure there is no criminality.

Coquitlam RCMP are reminding the public that Police will respond and investigate any calls for service.

No call is too small or too remote for our officers to investigate, said Media Relations Officer, Corporal Alexa Hodgins. From across the river or even by boat, this structure looked like it may have been the beginning of someone building where they shouldn’t have been. By having our officers attend by boat, we were able to determine that it was a lawful project and can provide that update to the complainant and the community.

How to report to Coquitlam RCMP

Coquitlam RCMP is an intelligence-led police agency. That means, we focus our resources where intelligence tells us they will have the most impact on public safety. This is done through crime reporting.

Reporting crime or suspicious activity to Coquitlam RCMP can be done 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The public can: