Supporters rally behind farm owner protecting his property

The issue of rural crime and protecting one’s property takes front and centre at the Okotoks courthouse.

A rally is taking place to support Eddie Maurice, who is appearing in court on gun charges Friday.

RCMP say Maurice fired a weapon during a confrontation on his property with two intruders last month, resulting in an arm injury to one of the suspects.

Rally Organizer Cory Morgan says people who live in isolated areas can wait up to 40 minutes for police.

“Sure some people say it’s just property but we don’t know that at the time when somebody is in your yard at four in the morning,” he explained. “We don’t know if they’re going to stop with a chainsaw or if they’re going to break into your house and you fear for your family and yourself so you might resort to some strong shows of force to get those people [out of] there.”

Morgan said things are getting worse. “None of us want to go out and shoot people,” he proclaimed. “We certainly don’t want to see it escalate, this is at least a starting point for discussion. I mean, drug addiction is a large issue that is driving these people, limited law enforcement resources is part of what’s driving this, it’s time to start talking about it and see how we can end those problems so we don’t feel we have to take it into our own hands.”

Morgan, who lives in Priddis and owns a local bar, said conversations are already happening.

“It’s weekly somebody lost a quad, somebody lost a truck, somebody had someone rummaging in their yard, that they chased away. You get nervous, I mean, somebody just turns around in your driveway and you’re peeking out your window, are they coming into rob you or are they just lost and tensions are rising and when you hear circumstances like this, of course, they only get worse.”

Coincidentally, the province is announcing more funding, Friday, to help fight rural crime. RCMP say such crime has seen a 16 per cent bump in the past five years.