A Medicine Hat Police Service vehicle drives after an SUV that went past a police line on Nov. 23, 2022 at a suspicious package incident. (Phot Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

‘Sometimes you only get one opportunity’: police say public safety paramount at scenes

Nov 30, 2022 | 4:32 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – When responding to a suspicious package found in northeast Medicine Hat last week the actions of one resident made an already stressful situation for police even worse.

One motorist drove around the police line set up near 11th Avenue and Terrace Drive NE and into the secure zone, something that Medicine Hat Police Service Staff Sgt. Jason Graham says is a regular occurrence.

Graham says any time police have an area blocked off members of the public need to respect it for everyone’s safety. He adds that police are often criticized in these instances for doing too much, but they won’t change how they approach the situations.

‘Well, you know what we’re going to err on the side of caution 100 per cent of the time in some of these instances because we just don’t know exactly what it is,” he says.

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“So yeah, you’re going to see lots of police, you’re going to see lights, you’re going to see people maybe it’s in bomb suits or what have you, traffic investigators. It’s not for show. It’s we need to make sure everything is done safely because in these situations sometimes you only get one opportunity.”

Police will block off areas to the public for a number of reasons including suspicious packages, standoffs and crime scene investigations.

Graham says there are several measures police have at their disposal for someone who does go around or through a police line or barricade, everything from a fine to charges of mischief or obstructing a police officer.

Graham, in charge of the MHPS criminal investigation unit, adds there is no update to the suspicious package file and it is still under investigation