In this week’s word on the beat, we talk about reasons and rationale in policing.
Periodically, someone will comment or post “the cops don’t/won’t do anything” in response to an incident. A comment such as this typically comes from someone who is misinformed or disgruntled with law enforcement.
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As I mentioned in an earlier article (Drugs and Gangs – April 10, 2025), absolutes without qualifiers are used very little in enforcement vocabulary. A quick response to the above comment would be for the person to consider how busy the courts and prisons are, as almost every accused who ends up there is the result of police action.
A more fulsome explanation is to outline the police actions taken and the authority limitations given the specific situation. We provide ongoing policing information to the public so readers can be better educated, including being able to understand law enforcement limitations and other realities.
One of these realities, ironically enough, may be that the courts are too busy, so charges in certain situations are not approved because they are deemed to be less serious. For example, possession of drugs is a charge that is currently not often approved when we find a person in possession of drugs. In these cases, the substances are destroyed and the person does not face a charge.
The reasons charges are not approved would take a fair bit of space to explain, but it is important to know that the decision goes beyond police officers.
There are many cases where someone posting has very little accurate information about an incident and then embellishes or adds their own spin or beliefs, presenting it as factual. This is not helpful to the dissemination of accurate information and might lead readers to believe police could have done something but simply did not.
Unfortunately, there are instances brought to our attention where people claim on social media that they reported something to police and nothing was done; however, when we check into it, they had not actually called us. We do not have any control over what is posted on social media, nor do we have the time to comment to refute incorrect or inaccurate postings. The intention of these articles, however, is to educate and inform, even when the topics may stem from social media.
There are also those who do not like hearing that we cannot do what they ask and then tell others that the cops won’t do anything. There is a distinct difference between not doing something and not having the authority to do that thing.
Please know that all incoming calls to our dispatch centre are recorded and logged, and files are electronically created for each call for service. We can provide complainants with a file number to reference in the future should they have questions.
Our officers should be providing explanations to our clients about any limitations we might face in regard to their situation. So, if you read or hear someone saying that the cops won’t do anything, this, in all likelihood, is inaccurate and certainly not the full story.
– Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbown, is the NCO in charge of the Lloydminster RCMP detachment’s General Investigation Section. Stay tuned for future articles from the Lloydminster RCMP.
This column was originally published in the Jan. 29, 2026, edition of the Meridian Source.
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