CP safety blitz upsets some members of the public
By Nelson Daily Staff
Officers from the Canadian Pacific (CP) Police department were in Nelson earlier this week conducting a “safety blitz” due to trespassing and other safety concerns in the community a company spokesperson said.
CP Police Service members patrolled the yard next to the Nelson Chamber of Commerce building at the foot of Baker Street as well as tracks located between City Hall and Real Canadian Wholesale Club on Lakeside Drive, educating the public as well as writing some tickets to public trespassing on railway property.
“This past week, CPPS (CP Police Service) was in Nelson, B.C., for a safety blitz after residents and employees raised concerns about the frequent trespassing issues along the rail corridor, as members of the community are cutting across CP property to access the lake area and a grocery store,” said Salem Woodrow, manager of media relations and community affairs at CP.
A reader of The Nelson Daily said he was concerned with the blitz happening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“(Officers were) threatening to put people in jail during the COVID (pandemic) for being on the tracks and they were not following social distancing protocol,” the reader said.
“They were trying to catch innocent citizens who missed very poor signage by Nelson City Hall,” the reader added. “We went back and checked and you can barely see what it says (on the signs).”
Woodrow said CP Police Service (CPPS) frequently conducts education and enforcement activities throughout the network to ensure that community members are aware of the dangers posed by not abiding by the rules and signage posted.
“Safety is foundational to everything we do at CP,” Woodrow explained. “Rail safety extends beyond our trains and employees and into the communities in which CP operates.”
Woodrow said during this safety blitz, approximately 60 interactions took place.
“In addition to sharing rail safety information, officers also gave out warnings and tickets as appropriate,” Woodrow said.
“Nobody is happy in town . . . everybody said CPR is bullying the people in Nelson and apparently nobody can do anything about it,” The Nelson Daily reader said.
But Woodrow said rail safety requires 24/7 vigilance and CP asks that everyone think about their safety around railway property.
“CP will continue to focus on education and enforcement efforts so that members of the communities we are a part of know the risks and know how to be safe around tracks and trains,” Woodrow said.
