Edouard Maurice’s family and supporters were relieved to see his charges withdrawn on June 22, but authorities warn against other residents taking matters into their own hands. Maurice was charged with aggravated assault, pointing a firearm and careless use of a firearm after police responded to alleged gunshots when he saw individuals prowling through vehicles on his property on Feb. 24. “The reasons for that situation doesn’t mean somebody should be shooting at people on their property,” said RCMP Cpl. Laurel Scott, media relations officer for Central Alberta district. “It doesn’t make it right.” It comes down to the criminal code, she said. According to Section 494, a person is able to affect a citizen’s arrest to stop someone who is committing a crime or has just committed a crime. The purpose is to deliver the suspect as soon as possible to a police officer, she said. During a citizen’s arrest, a person may use as much force as reasonably necessary – though Scott said the police warn against it. “Although the section does give the right to affect a citizen’s arrest, our message is don’t do it,” said Scott. “We want people to call the police and let us do our jobs out there. We want people to stay safe.” MD of Foothills Coun. Suzanne Oel, who is also chair of the High Country Crime Watch Association, said people need to consider the value of their life or property, and the other person’s life, when determining how to react in a situation. However, when faced with an event like Maurice – who found two people trespassing on his property and prowling through vehicles while he was alone with his baby – she said it’s difficult to know how anyone else would react. “We don’t know what we would do if we were put under that same pressure to be protecting our families,” said Oel. She said the Maurice family became the face of rural crime victims through their six appearances in court over the last four months. It’s brought the issue to the forefront and started a lot of conversations around the rural crime issue, she said. “There’s still more work to be done,” said Oel. “We need to look at how zealously we lay charges against victims of crime. This story has been very powerful.” It has also raised some question as to whether Maurice’s withdrawal indicates it’s open season for rural property owners to take aim at any trespassers on their properties, she said. Oel said she doesn’t think it has. “There are still laws in place that will govern courses of action,” said Oel. “But this does send a message to the other element, who knows we’re going to fight back. “We’re watching all the time now and we’re going to try to take care of our neighbours out here.”
