Report, don’t post.
It’s a message the Comox Valley RCMP is driving home, after an assault was reported on May 23rd at Courtenay’s Bill Moore Park.
Comox Valley RCMP spokesperson, Const. Monika Terragni, said it was reported hours after it allegedly occurred “and was only reported as the result of a social media post on Facebook.”
Terragni stressed that the best time to make a report to police is while the crime is occurring or as soon as practicable after the crime has occurred.
“A swift report to police will allow investigators to gather evidence from the area which might otherwise be perishable,” Terragni said.
Police officers tracked down the people involved and are investigating. Those involved are known to each other and Terragni says this was not a random incident.
On top of that, there has been concern raised over some of the comments being posted on Facebook directed toward the safety of the person shown in the posted photograph, Terragni said.
“Any threats directed toward this individual do not help the police investigation and they do not assist in preventing or reducing crime in our community,” she added.
“In fact, any acts of vigilantism would likely detract from the goal to reduce crime as it would take significant police hours to investigate these acts. Residents should also be mindful that the accuracy of social media posts is not verified. Instead, one of the most valuable ways that residents can assist is by reporting crime and suspicious activity right away.”
