Tactics questioned after Halifax RCMP pose as panhandler to catch distracted drivers

A new tactic being deployed by RCMP officers in the Halifax area is creating some debate.

Police said they’ve been piloting a new traffic enforcement strategy, in which officers disguise themselves as panhandlers at intersections in order to catch distracted drivers.

According to RCMP, the operation on March 18 at an intersection in Lower Sackville resulted in 46 tickets issued that day.

“We had a traffic spotter. He was walking amongst the traffic. He was posing as a panhandler with a sign,” said Cpl. Bobby Bambury with the RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment Traffic Unit.

“And he was walking among the traffic, seeing into people’s vehicles to see them committing some of these offences.”

He said officers stopped 33 vehicles in Lower Sackville that morning, before moving on to Cole Harbour.

Bambury said the tactic works because officers have trouble seeing into some vehicles when on patrol but having someone on the street level gives them an advantage.

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“We’ve seen a number of people committing traffic offences: they were not wearing seatbelts, they were texting and driving. And then we also caught some revoked drivers,” he said.

To the officers’ surprise, the undercover traffic spotter was actually approached by people who wanted to offer money, clothing and food.

“And in all instances, he told the people, ‘I’m a police officer. I’m out here, I am doing a traffic initiative,’” Bambury added.

All this has some questioning the police’s methods.

“For the police to kind of use that as a costume to catch people using their phones while driving is not, is not great,” said Fabina Germain-Bajowa.

Others call it insensitive.

“It’s kind of offensive to choose to be a panhandler for a day when that’s someone’s everyday life,” said Charlene Kankunda.

In response to the criticisms, Bambury said the “only thing they have to do is obey the traffic laws and they will have no problems with us whatsoever.”

While the method may be new in the Halifax area, he said it’s a tactic used by police in the past in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

As for other Maritime police departments, Halifax Regional Police told Global News they use a “variety of methods” to spot traffic infractions, including “putting officers in plain clothes.”

Meanwhile, the Fredericton Police Force said while their officers do not pose as panhandlers, “we have used plainclothes officers holding a sign such as ‘have a nice day,’ which allows for observation of driver behaviour.”