By DARREN HANDSCHUH Thursday, August 23, 2007 http://www.dailycourier.ca/stories.php?id=60772
They were looking for car thieves, but ended up putting the bite on a trespassing homeless woman. It all started Tuesday evening when police were called about a suicidal man near People's Store on 27th Street. Gord Molendyk, RCMP spokesman, said police attended, but were unable to locate the man. During their search, an officer attempted to stop a red Corsica and ask if they had seen the man, but the driver refused to stop and took off at a high rate of speed. A short pursuit followed before the two suspects abandoned the car near the railway underpass next to Polson Park and took off on foot. Police determined the car had been stolen earlier in the day in Vernon.
The police dog unit was called in to help search for the suspects and was tracking the suspects along the railway track when it encountered a homeless woman who was apparently living in the area. Molendyk said the woman was bitten on the arm and as per standard procedure, she was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital. If she chooses to do so, the unidentified woman could file an official complaint. "We have a litigation department that looks into complaints," said Molendyk. Molendyk pointed out the woman was trespassing, something that is becoming a problem for RCMP and the railway police. "There have been ongoing issues with homeless people. They live underneath the overpass," said Molendyk, adding there have been instances of vehicles being set on fire and other criminal matters in the rail yard, but he admitted it cannot be proven the problems were caused by homeless people. Homeless people sleeping and living under the overpass is becoming a safety concern. "It's becoming an issue where eventually someone is going to get hurt," said Molendyk.
CN Rail operates a rail line in Vernon and Molendyk said there is talk about the rail police and RCMP working together to address the issue of transients. CN Police Const. Mike Stewart said the rail cops work closely with the local police force on whatever issues may arise, and he plans on talking to police about the transient issue. He has heard of a few problems in the local area, but said things are not too bad. Stewart said CN Rail is always concerned about safety and it is not just transients that are the focus of the rail company's ongoing safety campaign. "When you're dealing with trains, you're dealing with heavy equipment," he said, adding CN has a safety program where officials go into schools and talk to the kids. He pointed out the rail lines are private property and anyone on them are trespassing, which is illegal.
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