Police thought they knew what "dial-a-doper" meant, but it was redefined on Monday in Prince George.
Instead of calling a drug supplier for a quick purchase, it was the drug supplier who made the call - right to the cops.
The phone rang at the North District RCMP emergency call centre just before 3 a.m. but when the dispatcher answered, there was no one on the other end of the phone.
That is what the law terms an "abandoned 911 call." It automatically triggers a police visit to the owner of the phone. What if someone's life is in danger or a major crime is underway but the caller can't speak? So a Mountie was sent to the home in the 1200 block of Burden Street where the call originated.
"An adult female resident advised officers that she had dialed 911 in error," said Prince George RCMP spokesman Cpl. Craig Douglass. "The officer explained to the woman that he needed to clear the residence to ensure the safety of any occupants."
Despite the protests of the 32-year-old female resident and the 38-year-old male who was also at the home, the police officers would not take no for an answer.
"What most Canadians don't know about these situations is that Canadian case law outlines clearly that police are allowed to search the residence without a warrant," he explained. "The 1999 Supreme Court of Canada decision in Regina vs. Godoy allows officers to enter a residence in order to protect life. This means that the officers may search the residence for people that may be imposing a threat or are in need of help. They won't be looking through drawers, but they need to ensure the safety of the public. The fear is that there may be a danger in the house that is not communicated to the officers. We've all seen the movie where the 'bad guy' is forcing a 'victim' to get rid of the police at the front door. The police go away and the scary movie continues. Not in reality. Here, we check the house."
While checking the home over for any such hidden dangers, the police couldn't help but notice the marijuana plantation growing in the basement. Once that was spotted, police needed to obtain a warrant to take any further legal action, but they could legally secure the scene until that was done.
Once the warrant was obtained, Mounties counted up 260 marijuana plants and sophisticated growing equipment. The two occupants were arrested and have a court date in July to answer a charge against each of them for drug production.
