ON Wednesday, April 21 at approximately 1 p.m., a member of the public attended the front counter of the New Westminster Police Department to report that they saw someone who they believed was in possession of a handgun on Clarkson Street. Moments later, a call was made to 9-1-1 describing a similar suspect with a black handgun.
Officers quickly located a man on Clarkson Street matching the suspect description. An NWPD drone was deployed to get a closer look at the suspect. The footage from the NWPD drone helped officers in determining the handgun was a butane lighter shaped like a handgun. The use of the drone avoided what would have been a much larger and higher-risk police response.
“These handgun-shaped lighters continue to be a source of calls to 9-1-1,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “When someone brandishes something that looks like a handgun in a public setting they’re putting themselves and everyone around them at risk.”
Officers had a conversation with the man about the distress his butane lighter caused people in the area. The man handed the lighter to police for disposal. Easily mistaken for real firearms, handgun-shaped lighters can escalate police interactions and prompt 9-1-1 calls that are prioritized, resulting in an elevated police response.
