BOWDEN - Mayor Robb Stuart is worried that a Facebook group set up to protect residents and deter crime could lead to vigilantism (people taking the law into their own hands, possibly leading to violence).
Stuart raised the issue during last week's town council meeting.
Stuart stressed he does not go on Facebook himself, but he's been told the group lists about 40 contacts for people who are worried about crime in the community.
He said the idea is if residents feel too scared to answer their doors or feel uncomfortable in general, they can contact someone on this Facebook group and they'll come and help them out.
ìI can text anybody on this list and they will drop whatever they're doing and come to my house,î he said.
He said he got word of it when a citizen asked him to bring the matter up at council.
ìThe quote I got was if they see 20 to 30 trucks roll in the street in front of them, well then (they might be scared off).î
Stuart said he can understand why this might be attractive to some people.
ìI've heard that lately, there was somebody going door to door selling security systems,î he said.
ìThey ring the doorbell and the people are scared to answer the door because they don't know who it is. And yet if they don't answer the door, then they're worried that somebody will think that nobody's home and they'll kick the door down.î
Coun. Lloyd Lane expressed concern that if council is seen to endorse such a group and some sort of vigilantism occurs, the town could be in legal hot water.
ìIf you endorse something without any training, would the town be liable for anything that went wrong with it?î he asked.
Stuart agreed the legal ramifications could be a problem.
Chief administrative officer James Mason said he looked for the page in question but couldn't find it.
Coun. Sheila Church said in the end, it's good for council to know about it but "I don't think we need to take any action on it."
Olds RCMP Cpl. Michael Black told the Albertan there's no place for vigilantism.
ìThe short of it is that vigilantism is not tolerated,î he said in an email.
ìThe idea of helping each other and wanting to protect each other is great, however if there is something wrong or illegal going on, people are to call the police.
ì(If) something goes the wrong way with someone acting on moral or good terms, they could be the one to find themselves before the courts.î
"The quote I got was if they see 20 to 30 trucks roll in the street in front of them, well then (they might be scared off)." ROBB STUART BOWDEN MAYOR
