More than the usual amount of commotion erupted during a drug-related raid on a Prince George home on Thursday evening.
Northern District RCMP's Emergency Response Team and a police helicopter were deployed for a what police called a "high-risk" search of the 2700-block Range Road home that also saw Mounties combatting a small fire that broke out on a bedroom in the rear of the house.
One of the "tools" police used to gain entry started the blaze, Prince George RCMP Supt. Warren Brown confirmed. ERT members quickly extinguished the blaze and Prince George Fire Rescue was also called in to make sure all the flames had been put out.
But as a precaution, neighbouring homes were subsequently evacuated for about an hour, "which is unfortunate because it occurred during the dinner hour," Brown said. In a statement, RCMP thanked the neighbours their cooperation and apologized for the inconvenience.
A man and a woman were arrested and a quantity of methamphetamine and two sawed-off rifles were seized. Names of the two were not released and charges have not yet been laid.
"Our investigation is continuing, the people we arrested yesterday will be released. However, we anticipate there will be subsequent arrests and more investigation in and around that residence," Brown said.
The same home was the target of a search warrant in February, Brown noted. Specially trained and equipped, the ERT was called in this time to make a "swift, expedient and safe arrest" while also ensuring public safety.
"We don't want people running away from a house, fleeing a house. We don't want them breaking into nearby residences," Brown said. "People, when they're on the run, they are very vulnerable to increased risk of injury to themselves and to others - that could be hijacking other cars, that could be breaking into other people's houses, it could be foot pursuit and then fight and capture with police after the fact.
"So we like it best when we can control the situation and by utilizing the tools and tactics we did yesterday, we say that we can control the situation."
It often takes some time before drug-related charges are laid. A 2016 Supreme Court of Canada decision, R v Jordan, has set the time limit at 18 months to bring a case to a provincial court trial once charges have been laid, rising to 30 months in superior courts.
"Once we [Crown prosecution] charge, the clock starts ticking," Brown said. "So if we don't get results back from the drug lab say for six months, now we're well into the disclosure period of time."
Brown called the situation "frustrating" for police when they arrest suspects. "Most often, not absolute but frequently, they're being released now," he said.
