Rural crime Facebook group gets attention from RCMP

A Facebook group called “Farmers Against Rural Crime” is gaining some attention from the RCMP.

In just two weeks the group has gained 10,500 members with many of them based in Saskatchewan.

Moose Jaw0area farmer Nick Cornea founded the group which states on social media that its purpose is “bringing evidence and knowledge forward to our levels of government” because “farmers are tired of falling victim to crime.” The description asks potential members to join the campaign to bring change to the legal system.

In an interview with Gormley, Cornea said the group’s popularity has led to conversations with the RCMP about concerns with crime.

“We’re trying to find a peaceful change, rewrite policy, make some changes to help the RCMP and local police do their jobs more effectively,” Cornea explained.

He noted that members of this group aren’t criticizing police officers, they simply want to see change to allow them to uphold the law and punish those who break it.

Cornea said police have been in contact to repeat the message that farmers always need to report rural crime.

“They can move officers where crime is higher they can move officers there and where crime is lower they can determine, ‘well maybe we can get away with only four officers in this detachment,’” Cornea said.

RCMP have issued repeated warnings to rural residents to always call police and not take matters into their own hands, particularly citing the dangers of introducing a firearm.

Cornea said many members of the Facebook group have been calling for a “Castle Doctrine” allowing them to legally shoot people for trespassing on their property.

RCMP have come out against such a change to Canada’s self-defence law, saying it would cause too many problems.