| CONTENTS Bell Island Law Enforcement Torch Run - Great
Success |
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Bell Island Law Enforcement Torch
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| From
Sarge’s DeskWe all know them.
Those gutless wonders that use their size or abilities to intimidate or instill fear in
others. They just bum around and get their kicks out of destroying property or ganging up
on others. Often they do their despicable deeds in the dark and in isolated and
unprotected areas so they won’t be seen or heard. They might think they are brave by
doing this but they don’t have much courage when it comes time to take responsibility
for their acts. They usually prey on those that are smaller than they are or on persons
who can’t defend themselves. I just can’t find much good to say about these type
persons. I feel sorry for them because they are " good time Charlies" who have
done little with their lives and have lost hope. They are people who have given up on
themselves and the people who love them. They think by bullying others it makes them
better that someone else. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bullying shows they are
weak, ineffectual beings with little or no direction in life. Beating up on somebody
doesn’t take guts or anything close to being called admirable. This action hurts both
the offenders and their victims.
What can you do if you are being bullied? You can report it to the police or other agencies such as Human Resources and Development (formerly known as Social Services). This is not always a guarantee that the problem will be resolved but it is an action that you can take if something like this is happening to you. It is the first step towards taking control of the situation. |
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| May Stats by Sgt. W. Hebb The Bell Island Community Policing Office received 72 calls for service during the month of May 1999. The majority of these calls were routine in nature. Here are some of the calls that the police responded to during this month: On 99-05-01 a 1985 blue Toyota was struck by a hit and run driver while it was parked on The Green between the hours of 2:00 am and 6:00 pm on this date. A 47 year old Bell Island man was arrested for breach of undertaking on 99-05-03 and brought to provincial court, St. John’s for a bail hearing. On 99-05-04, the man was released from court on a number of conditions. One of the conditions of his release was that he not reside on Bell Island or Portugal Cove. A trial date of 99-07-14 has been set. On 99-05-03 a Bell Island man reported he was being threatened. His 20 year old common law wife was arrested as a result. She was later released and will appear in court on 99-06-16. On 99-05-07 a 39 year old Bell Island man was arrested for forcible entry into a residence of his common law wife. He will appear in court on 99-06-16. A girl’s 5 speed bicycle was stolen from Quigley’s line on 99-05-09. The bike is purple and pink in colour and can be identified if located. An investigation is underway into a report of child abuse received on 99-05-11. On 99-05-12 at 8:26 pm a report was received regarding a fire in a garbage box at Immaculate Conception School. The garbage box was situated next to the building but quick action of the Bell Island Volunteer Fire Department extinguished the fire before any serious damage could occur. The garbage box has since been relocated. The investigation is ongoing. On 99-05-15 a break, enter and theft was reported into a vacant residence on Woods Ave. A 50 year old Marconi radio-record player was stolen. It is described as being approx. 2 ½ feet by 3 feet in size and having a light tan or maple finish. The cabinet has sliding cloth covered doors. Some pictures, dishes and books were also taken. On 99-05-18, a residence in the East End of Bell Island was illegally entered between the hours of 6:45 pm and 7:15 pm. Some boxes of cereal were taken along with less than $5.00 in change and a few other minor items. A vacant house on Carbage’s Loop was illegally entered sometime between 99-05-16 and 99-05-21. The vandals entered the house and severely damaged the interior, smashing walls and windows. It appears one of the culprits was injured during this incident as there were spots of blood found near the entrance. A 59 year old St. John’s man was apprehended for impaired driving on 99-05-23. He will appear in court on 99-07-14 to answer to the charge. A 35 year old Bell Island man was apprehended for impaired driving on 99-05-28. He will appear in court on 99-07-14. Also during the month of May a total of 21 summary offence tickets were issued for traffic and other provincial offences. A further 17 persons were issued with warning slips and 3 persons were issued with 24 hour driver’s suspension notices. Members of the Bell Island Community Policing Office also conducted six checkpoint stations during this month. |
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| Special
OlympicsBy Cst. Hazel Duncan
On 99-06-09 the Bell Island RCMP Community Policing Office, Special Olympians and community residents ran and walked around the island to raise funds for Special Olympics. A total of twenty two persons participated in the event and were successful in raising $3100. A barbeque followed at the RCMP Detachment and was enjoyed by all. A special thank-you goes out to Chef Wayne Fitzgerald who volunteered his time to barbeque, excellent food Wayne! During June 11th - 13th 1999 coach Josephine Lewis of the Bell Island Special Olympics team travelled to Mount Pearl with John Davis, Bonnie Skanes, Judy Whelan and Eric Yetman to participate in the 1999 Special Olympics. Congratulations go out to Josephine and her team who captured the following medals in their respective events: John Davis: Silver medal - shot put bronze medal- 50 meter run Bonnie Skanes: bronze medal 50 meter run bronze medal standing long jump Judy Whelan:bronze medal- shot put The Bell Island Special Olympics team would also like to thank Mary Pearson who volunteered the whole weekend to travel and assist with the team! The RCMP of Bell Island would like to thank all residents and businesses who donated to this worthy cause. This was the first year for the torch run to be held on Bell Island and it was a huge success. We look forward to seeing you next year! |
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| Council
News CAR WRECKS AND ANNUAL CLEAN UP Over the past month there has been a lot of activity in our town. A large majority of car wrecks have been collected and transported off Bell Island. There are a small number left to be picked up. Residents who have abandoned car wrecks on their property will be notified by mail and given a time period to have parts removed before council picks them up. Also our annual clean-up is now completed. WATER SERVICES Council wishes to apologize to residents receiving water services from our Main St. pumping station. For the last number of weeks there has been many cases of dirty water reported to us. Employees are working to have this problem rectifiedINCINERATOR Many hours have been spent at repairs to our incinerator. The first week in July the incinerator should be back in operation. All household garbage will be disposed of in the incinerator and hopefully this will cut down on the amount of debris at this site. If residents have to visit the dump site you are requested to do so during incinerator operating hours 7:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday each week. Fires at the this site is an ongoing problem for residents especially those in the East # 1 area. These fires are being lit by only a few and the persons responsible will be prosecuted under the Town of Wabana Garbage regulations. NOISE BY-LAW Residents are advised that there is a noise by-law in our town. Regulations are in place to control excessive loud noises. Notices were circulated around town when this by-law was passed by council but this is a reminder for residents to try to control loud noises especially during the summer season when persons have increased late night activities. ANIMAL CONTROL The number of kittens and pups brought to our depot at the Wabana Complex is alarming. Day after day large numbers of these animals are brought to our facility to be put to sleep. There are many dogs and cats that need to be spayed or neutered. Pet owners need to have this done to control the excessive amount of unwanted animals. The practice of putting animals to sleep is not pleasant to anyone but this is a service that most town councils engage in as a public service. It would be good if this was something that was very seldom needed rather than used to the extent that is required now. PLEASE HAVE YOUR DOG OR CAT SPAYED OR NEUTERED. LET'S KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN AND TIDY Many home owners have painted, cleaned and dressed up their properties. Each year our community is looking cleaner and more pleasant for residents and visitors. Council wishes to commend you for all your efforts. Also council wishes to commend the persons working with the Community Enrichment Committee for the excellent job carried out with cleaning up debris around our streets. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. BELL ISLAND DAY July 25th has been set for Bell Island Day this year. Rumour has it that this year there will be a "Dunk a Cop" booth. All organizations wishing to have booth space should contact the council office at 488-2025 or 488-2990. Get involved to make this year a great success. |
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| Policing Stories from The Past by Sgt. W. Hebb There are brief moments in life that you just never forget. One of these moments involves my good friend, Gordon White. Gord is a sergeant now and is stationed with the RCMP in Stephenville. He is a quiet, self assured individual who is well liked by all those who meet him and especially those who work with him. I had heard about Gord long before I met him and the word was he was a tough no nonsense kind of guy and perhaps even a little ornery on occasion. The first time I met Gord in person was at the scene of a tragic accident when I was stationed in Wesleyville. We had received a report of persons overdue from a shopping trip. A worried husband reported that his wife and daughter had gone to Gander shopping for the day with a friend and her daughter. They had left early in the morning and had not returned by late afternoon when they were expected. All surrounding detachments were alerted to this and patrols searched all areas looking for the ladies and the children. The man who reported this and members of the community were searching as well. Early the next morning, we were called to a small pond on an isolated stretch of highway between Newtown and Lumsden. The guard rail was bent and there were some tire marks on the road. The pond did not look deep enough to conceal anything let alone a vehicle. However, there was a flicker of something there. A large crowd had gathered and extra help was called in to assist. The dive team members arrived and that’s when I noted that Gord White had arrived. One of the dive team entered the pond and almost immediately found the vehicle. He stood up in the pan of the pickup truck and the water level was waist deep at that point but the vehicle wasn’t visible. Sometime later the vehicle was towed out of the water and the bodies of the two mothers and daughters were removed. I assisted Gord White as we laid the body of one of the young girls, a girl of around 7 or 8 years old, into a body bag. A large lump filled my throat as I looked at this lifeless girl. My gaze shifted and my eyes met Gord’s. His eyes were watery and I sensed a deep sadness behind them. It was only for an instant and then Gord reached down and zipped up the body bag. We then carried the body to a waiting ambulance for transport to the hospital. I don’t remember much more of what happened that day or the days that followed. Perhaps some of the details in this story are a little foggy but one thing is clear, on that day I witnessed this man’s humanity. It was only a brief and fleeting moment but more than enough to see it in its entirety. Some years after, I was stationed with Gord in Grand Falls-Windsor. I worked with him and we became friends but it was long before this, that I developed a deep respect for him. |
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Bike Rodeoby Cst. B. Decker
The 15th annual bicycle rodeo was held on June 12th by the Bell Island R.C.M. Police Community Policing Office and the Kiwanis Club at the Monsignor Bartlett Arena. There were 115 children who participated in the Rodeo ranging in ages from 3 to 15 years. Many of the children who participated in the Rodeo won prizes which were donated by the businesses of Bell Island. There were two bicycles donated by the VOCM Cares Foundation which were won by Ashley Maclean and Jamie Hutchings. At this time the R.C.M.Police would like to thank the Kiwanis Club who has assisted us for the last 10 years, the Bell Island businesses who made donations towards the prizes and VOCM who donated the two bike. This event wouldn't be the success it was without their support. |
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| MATES
Program by Cst. T. Griffiths
The Bell Island Community Policing Office along with the faculty and staff of Immaculate Conception School would like to congratulate Jennifer Power. Jennifer was the winner of a contest held to re-name the P.A.L.S. Program for the school. The Police At Local Schools program is running at St. Michael’s High School and similar programs are operating at different schools in the province and throughout Canada. In an effort to personalize the program for Immaculate Conception School, CST. Griffiths, the school's liaison officer, asked students to try to come up with a new name. A number of excellent entries were submitted. Jennifer Power's was selected, she used the word M.A.T.E.S. to stand for Mounties At This Excellent School. She said she decided to look up in a thesaurus, other words that mean "friend" she came up with "mates" and then tired to fit different words to the letters. A poster was done up with Jennifer's M.A.T.E.S. theme by CST. Jim Macdonald at the R.C.M.P. Headquarters in St. John's. The poster was then presented to Jennifer, Principal Fitzgerald and guidance counsellors Rodney Mitchell and Glenn Barry. Jennifer received a movie pass for two, some R.C.M.P. pictures of Mounties on horseback, and a pin for coming up with this inspiring name. The poster was placed inside the school's main entrance. The program has CST. Griffiths visiting the school at different times for anything from a casual hello as students leave for the day or during lunch to doing presentations on drugs and alcohol, bike safety and so on. He has also played in a few floor hockey games with teachers and students. As the school year comes to a close CST Griffiths would like to thank the faculty, staff, and students of Immaculate Conception School for making him feel so welcome and inviting him to different events. He wishes all at the school a safe and happy summer.
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| Heroes in Our MidstI assisted this year in the Bike Rodeo here on Bell Island and I might say it was probably one of the more enjoyable tasks that I have had this year. Approximately 115 children aged 3 years to 15 years participated over almost 3 hour period. Once all participants had gone through the rodeo on their bicycles, there was a draw for a number of prizes amongst which were two brand new bicycles. There was a lot of spirit displayed by these participants and they all seemed to have a grand time as the winners rushed down to receive their prizes. There were lots of smiles on the faces of the children as they departed for the day. On their way out they received a loot bag which contained assorted goodies donated by local businesses. All budgets are tight these days but that did not deter the local businesses and other businesses like VOCM who donated the bicycles. The spirit of giving was certainly evident but nothing could say it plainer than what I heard near the end of the rodeo. I was standing by the exit as the children were picking up their loot bags and leaving. One little girl about 3 or 4 years old was being carried by her mother. Her eyes were red and she was crying. Her mother explained she was sad because she didn’t win a bicycle. She had wanted to win one so she could give it to her aunt. Say no more. | |||||
| 2410 RCACC Bell Island Cadets On may 30th, 1999, at 2:30 P.M. 2410 Cadets had it’s 14th Annual Review. Thirty cadets were on parade and did a fantastic job in all aspects of their program. The reviewing officer for the event was Col. F. Rogers. The parade was well attended by the organizations in the community as well as family and friends of the cadets. A small reception followed. Fifteen awards, plus a $1,000 Scholarship were presented. It was a very difficult decision choosing these awards as all of the cadets of 2410 Cadets have very good qualities and are very deserving. At present we have a number of cadets getting ready to attend summer camp - two at Banff, Alta. - two at Vernon, BC, 10 at New Brunswick, as well we are hoping to get more positions, so that we can accommodate all cadets who want to attend camp. Two cadets have been chosen as staff cadets - one will work in Vernon, the other in New Brunswick. Six officers from Bell Island will also be working in camps such as Vernon, Whitehorse and New Brunswick. Cadets will start up again on September 12th at 1:25 P.M., St. Michael’s School. All youth between the ages of 12 & 18 are welcome, as well all parents are invited to join the Cadet Parents Committee, many hands make light work. Have a safe and happy summer and I will see you all again when I return from Whitehorse in August. Capt. W.P. Fitzgerald |
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| Meet
Your Police Dale Fitzgerald, the detachment assistant at the RCMP Bell Island Community Policing Office, is the featured person this month. Dale, has been working with the RCMP, Bell Island, since shortly after the present building opened in May of 1977. Dale has enjoyed and continues to enjoy meeting and working with many people, not only from the Bell Island area, but throughout the country. She has become personal friends with many people, some without ever having seen their face. She was born to Harvey & Emma Bickford of Lance Cove, Bell Island many moons ago. She married Wayne Fitzgerald from West Mines in August of 1972. She has three Children, Shannon - 24, Samantha - 13 and Susan - 12. She attended St. Boniface High School and went from there to Memorial University. After getting married she moved to Ontario, but the call of home was too strong and she and her family moved back here in June of 1975. She attended the District Vocational School taking Shorthand Typing. She went to work with the Post Office in St. John’s in July of 1976, from there transferring to RCMP Bell Island, where she remains today. She is actively involved in 2410 Bell Island Cadets, along with her husband, Wayne, and two daughters. Her son, Shannon, along with his girlfriend, Heather Tucker, is presently stationed in Petawawa, Ontario with the Armed Forces. RCMP members come and go from Bell Island as there posting commitments end but Dale has remained constant. She has witnessed many changes over the years and still remains friends with RCMP members who were formerly stationed here. She is a valuable resource at this office and provides good service to both the members and the general public. |
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| On The WebHere are a few sites to visit for those surfers out
there:
www.bookzone.com/greta/copcookbook.html - Greta’s place. This is a site of Greta Garner the daughter of movie and television star, James Garner (Rockford files). http://canada.justice.ca - this site offers information on Canadian criminal law. www3.nf.sympatico.ca/jboucher/jboucher/ - this is the site of my friend, Cst. Jacques Boucher. Jacques is an RCMP officer presently stationed in Grand Bank, Nfld. Lots of interesting stuff on this site. |
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| Bell
Island Food Bank by Mary Murphy The Bell Island Community Food Bank continues to be very busy and the hours just seem to fly by. Helena Highmore and I recently attended a general meeting of the Food Sharing Association held in St. John's. We found it very interesting and very informative. Although each Food Bank has different hours and days that they are open, we all use basically the same guideline. For instance, the Bell Island Community Food Bank offers a two-day emergency food hamper on a once per month basis. We are open two days a week and we have NEW SUMMER HOURS; which are as follows: Tuesday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Our list of volunteers has grown and is very much appreciated. They work very hard indeed and give many hours to the Food Bank. Our Community Calendar Sales Committee continues to be successful and we feel that the prospect of ordering extra calendars to sell as Millennium Keepsake Souvenirs is a good possibility. On the Island, Maureen Simon, Marie Cummings and Sharon Hebb continue to organize and sell as many calendars as possible. In St. John's, Mrs. Lorraine Peters owner of the Stetson Lounge is our contact person for calendar sales. In Ontario, Charlotte Bongard of Picton, Jim Clarke of Georgetown, Dick Stoyles, William & Carmel Power, Judy Noseworthy, Dean Simon, Tina Costello, of Cambridge continue to sell calendars for us and will do so until July 1st weekend. If anyone wishes to purchase one of these Keepsake Millennium Community Calendars, they can contact the Bell Island Community Food Bank at 709-488-2656. Jim Clarke and the Knights of Columbus in Georgetown, Ontario held a dinner and dance in May to celebrate Newfoundland's 50th Anniversary of Confederation. All proceeds from this event was donated to the Bell Island Community Food Bank and the Board of Directors and I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank you to all concerned for this wonderful donation. "GIVING IS WITHOUT REGRET AND WITH A JOYFUL HEART." |
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| Fire
Department Report by Wabana Town Fire Chief Jim Pendergast Over the past number of years, people died in Newfoundland in residential fires caused by careless cooking and deep fat frying. Fires caused by COOKING FAT ARE EASILY PREVENTED by taking precautions. The key to safety is the purchase and use of an approved thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer. - Never use an ordinary pot for deep fat frying; - Do not leave a fryer unattended or near combustibles like curtains or cup towels; - Keep a dry chemical extinguisher; - DO NOT THROW WATER ON A GREASE FIRE; - DO NOT TURN ON AN OVERHEAD FAN. THIS COULD SPREAD THE FIRE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BUILDING. Place a multipurpose dry chemical fire extinguisher (Type ABC) in the kitchen. It should be hung on a wall in a clearly visible and readily accessible location. |
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| Court WatchThe report of convictions was not received from the
court at the time this newsletter was being prepared so I do not have a complete list at
this time. The following is a couple of the convictions which were entered during this
month:
A 33 year old St. John’s woman was convicted on 99-06-16 on charges of uttering threats to kill an 18 year old Bell Island man. The offence occurred on October 1998 and was set over until this date for trial, however the woman changed her plea to guilty on this date. She was sentenced to serve 14 days conditional sentencing (house arrest) and placed on probation fro a period of 1 year. Also on 99-06-16, a 20 year old Bell Island woman entered a plea of guilty on a charge of uttering threats to burn property on 99-05-03. She was convicted and given a suspended sentence. She was placed on probation for a period of six months. Any other convictions not reported here will be reported in the July Newsletter. |
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Jude Pearson Memorial Tourney
The Jude Pearson Memorial Weekend was held on June 11, 12, and 13. A tribute dance was held at the Bell Island Curling Club Friday night, followed by a co-ed softball tournament Saturday and Sunday. An enjoyable weekend was had by all, as Jude would have wanted it. The winners of the tournament received t-shirts and a beautiful plaque in Jude’s memory, while the second place team received medals. Both the medals and the plaque were donated by the Family Drug Mart Junior Blues organization. A number of members in the community also helped in making the tournament a success. Thanks go out to the Men’s Slo-pitch League, Gary Hunt (Molson), Black Shadow Audio, Bell Island Curling Club, Martin Hurley (Labatts), Mr. Dave Fowler, Bell Island Bakery, Mr. Walter King, Mr. Keith Burke, Mr. Brian Burke and Mr. & Mrs. Donny Neary. A special thanks goes out to those individuals who gave personal donations. Approximately $2,400. was raised to help alleviate the costs associated with Jude’s tragic death, however, donations are still being given. The organizing committee consisting of Joe Somerton, Trina Kent, Alison Reid, and Paul Noseworthy would like to thank everybody who played or helped out in some way throughout the weekend. |
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| Closing
Remarks I have received a few emails regarding the newsletter. The comments are very positive. Some of the emails have been from Ontario from persons who have seen the newsletter on the Internet. Reg Durdle has done some fantastic work on this site and it is definitely a must see for anyone. The site is located at the following address: www.bellisland.net/bicpn/ Take time out to visit the site. It will be worth the effort. If you have any comments about this newsletter or wish to discuss a personal or community problem, by all means visit our office or contact us at the following: Telephone 709-488-3312 Fax 709-488-2311 Email whebb@nf.sympatico.ca |
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RESPONSIBILITY IS THE KEY TO CHANGE
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