It was a wild and crazy week for members of the Estevan Police Service with many of their response calls being directed toward the handling and charging of intoxicated residents and visitors.
On Saturday night and early Sunday morning, EPS members were called out seven different times to attend to matters that were evolving at a local cabaret at the Estevan Curling Club.
Two of the disturbances at the cabaret also involved emergency medical services personnel who were tending to people who had been injured in altercations.
As a result of these many visits, three people were eventually arrested and lodged in cells and charged under the Alcohol Gaming Regulation Act (AGRA) for being intoxicated in a public place. One of the three was also facing an extra charge for urinating in public under the local city bylaw which carries an additional $500 fine over and above the $200 minimum fine for the AGRA offence.
On that same evening, police were called to a local convenience store a total of 10 different times as a result of disturbances and to deal with people who were loitering on the premises. On each visit, the crowd that had gathered was broken up and sent on their way. Some of them returned while some were replaced by others who were arriving after attending many other functions that there going on in the city that night.
When they weren't busy with the cabaret and convenience stores, police managed to find time to arrest and charge two more men who had been involved in separate incidents in a local lounge while a third man was transported to hospital for medical treatment as a result of a fight that had broken out at this nightclub.
While police were conducting their investigation at a nightclub, an unknown patron decided to deploy pepper spray inside the lounge. Several people were affected by the event, resulting in them suffering from coughing spells and eye irritation. Pepper spray is illegal to possess in Canada and is considered a prohibited device so the matter remains under investigation.
As if those events weren't enough, police were also required to attend to several complaints regarding parties that were ongoing on the south side of the city. In once instance, a number of young people had spread out to a few locations which led to police laying charges under the Alcohol Gaming Regulations Act. Several youths had wandered off the party property and onto the street and adjacent properties while carrying and consuming alcohol. The party was broken up at the request of the homeowner after the owner had been warned about the city's noise bylaw.
But their work still wasn't over for the night as EPS members were called on to attend to a matter regarding a fight that had broken out at a residential party in the central part of the city. The person responsible for starting the altercation was sent home with a friend.
Police were called to a few other incidents where alcohol was again, a contributing factor.
While they were dealing with drunks and disturbances, police were informed that two vehicles had also been stolen on Saturday night. Both were recovered and one of the incidents remain under investigation while the second theft turned out to be a case of miscommunication since the vehicle had simply been borrowed by a friend of the owner.
EPS members also learned that two reports of mischief had been registered with the service while they were busy. They learned that floral planters on the north side of the city had been tampered with as was a sign in the 1200 block of Fourth Street.
Earlier in the week, starting on Sept. 6, EPS members looked into a break-and-enter incident in the central part of the city. They noted that a laptop computer and a video recorder had been taken from the home while the owner had been on vacation. The matter remains under investigation.
On Sept. 7, EPS members arrested and charged a 54-year-old Estevan man with impaired driving and driving while his blood-alcohol content was over .08 per cent after they followed up on a complaint registered from a local restaurant. The man now has an October court date.
On that same night, police responded to a report of a break and enter where an apartment door had been kicked open and two suspects entered and threatened the resident before fleeing prior to police arrival. This matter remains under investigation.
A fight that broke out at a local establishment ended up involving a number of people who had to be separated by police and then sent on separate ways.
Later that same evening, police charged five men with drinking after they located a group of suspects on a roof at a local school.
On the night of Sept. 7, police charged a 20-year-old Estevan woman for impaired driving and driving while over .08. She has an October court date.
Intoxicated people kept police busy on the night of Sept. 8 too. EPS members began their evening shift by charging a 27-year-old Assiniboia man with impaired driving and driving while over .08 after they received a call from a local restaurant regarding the man's apparent intoxicated condition. He has an October court date.
Shortly after that incident was concluded, a 27-year-old Weyburn man was charged with resisting arrest and for being intoxicated in public after he was observed with open alcohol on Fourth Street.
EPS next arrested a 19-year-old Tugaske man for being intoxicated in public following a complaint of a fight at a local lounge. He was released after regaining sobriety.
Police then arrested a 38-year-old Calgary resident for being intoxicated in public following an incident on Fourth Street.
Police also laid numerous charges against several people with regards to break-and-enter incidents that included the uttering of threats. The incidents had begun with the day shift and continued through to the evening. Police noted that the investigation is ongoing and more charges are pending.
On Sept. 10, police were called to a fight at a local nightclub. Both subjects were sent back to their respective hotels but about two hours later one of the participants was seen walking along Fourth Street while consuming alcohol so he was arrested and lodged in cells until sober. The man is facing charges under the AGRA for consuming alcohol in public and for being intoxicated in a public place.
That same night, EPS members charged an 18-year-old man for breaching the conditions of his recognizance. He was on conditions that prevented him from using illegal drugs which were found in his possession that evening. He has a Sept. 19 court date.
Police were next asked to look into a matter of garbage being dumped on the ground outside of the City's official landfill. A suspect has been identified and charges may result.
A gathering of young people who were disturbing local residents in the Pleasantdale area of the city required police attention. The group moved on as police arrived but EPS members were able to re-locate some of the subjects and set up an investigation since the disturbance had been the result of an alleged assault.
A break-and-enter incident was reported to police during the early morning hours of Sept. 11. A male subject, known to the victim, entered her residence after breaking and then crawling through a window. He then proceeded to take a television from the residence.
While on patrol, police spotted a woman walking along Woodlawn Avenue on the city's far west side. She had been involved in a domestic disturbance so her family was contacted to assist. Police ascertained that nothing criminal had transpired so the matter was concluded.
On the night of Sept. 12 or early morning hours of Sept. 13, EPS members charged a 20-year-old Estevan woman with impaired driving and driving while over .08. She will appear in court on Oct. 24.
