Yellowknife (May 31/06) - During the last two weeks, Yellowknife police have seen a flurry of alleged assaults involving, of all things, bear spray.

The pungent chemical, which is similar to pepper spray, was used during a brawl early last Wednesday morning in the Range Lake area, said RCMP Const. Roxanne Dreilich.

Two drunk party-goers got into a melee that began when one hit the other with a beer bottle.

The person who was hit responded with bear spray, some brands of which are capable of stopping a 1,000-pound grizzly in its tracks.

Charges had not been laid as of Monday afternoon, though both men are being investigated for assault with a weapon, Dreilich said.

Bear spray was also used in a downtown apartment complex following a report of a domestic disturbance last week.

Firefighters attended the scene along with the RCMP, though no charges were laid.

Police have looked into one or two other cases of ill-advised use of bear spray during the last two weeks, Dreilich said.

Walking the beat

The RCMP will be combining efforts with Yellowknife's Municipal Enforcement Division to step up foot patrols in the downtown core.

Officers will target "street level" crime, including drug dealing and public drunkenness, said Dreilich.

The pilot program is the second such push towards more RCMP on the streets since 2004.

A manpower shortage at the Yellowknife detachment could have contributed the decision to scale back foot patrols following the last initiative, said Dreilich.

But with more officers on the roster, Dreilich said police are looking forward to developing relationships with downtown merchants and residents.

Be careful who you party with

An area man who got into a taxi with about a half-dozen strangers following an evening of drinking at a downtown bar was beaten and robbed last weekend.

Police have identified three suspects in the attack and are looking for four to five others.

The man, who was taken to hospital with relatively minor bruises and cuts, was drinking at the Gold Range Bar last Thursday night.

He later jumped into a taxi and was joined by seven or eight strangers, said Dreilich.

They convinced him to go to a party, but stopped near a downtown alley. After getting out of the taxi near the Discovery Inn on Franklin Avenue, the man was attacked and his wallet was stolen.

When Dreilich was asked if the moral of the story is to be careful who you party with, she said: "It certainly is."