Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 09/01) - The only losers in a battle between a local security company and the RCMP over emergency lights are the taxpayers, according to the company's lawyer.

On Oct. 26, Centurion Security was found guilty of illegally having rotating emergency lights on its vehicles. Centurion received an absolute discharge, which means the conviction was not registered.

"Everybody has spent far too much money on this when we don't have enough money to police small communities," said Centurion's lawyer, James Brydon.

Centurion owner David Beckwith accused police of singling out his company for harassment when it was charged in July.

"We have a list of over 35 vehicles in town that are not marked as company vehicles so why are we being picked on and nobody else?" Beckwith said.

He added RCMP have been unco-operative with the company, which is contracted by several banks and organizations in town to respond to after-hours alarms.

"A couple officers we work closely with. The other ones just don't care," Beckwith said.

"The RCMP is supposed to confront security first," he added, about responding to alarms.

"But most of the time they come, take over and ignore us. We have no working relationship."

RCMP Staff Sgt. Terry Scott said each organization has its own job to do and denied that police are treating Centurion unfairly.

In the case of the emergency lights, Scott said the company received several warnings over the course of a year.

"There are a lot of vehicles around town that may not have legal authorization to have (the lights) and we encourage people to check with us," he said.

Scott said certain vehicles, such as graders and loaders, use lights for cautionary purposes, "not to run around playing cop."

A spokesperson for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development said because RWED officers are considered peace officers, they're allowed to drive trucks with rotating lights.

Sean Ivens, president of Medic North, a company contracted to provide medical services on industrial sites, said his company covers lights on vehicles while they're in town or on the highway.

Once on-site, the lights can be uncovered and turned on.

Beckwith said the outcome of the court proceeding will enable him to drive around town without covering the lights as long as they are not turned on.

"The RCMP will take another look at it," Scott said.