Stettler RCMP officers were conducting a routine patrol through the community during the Friday lunch hour when they made a traffic stop that ended up anything but.
According to S/Sgt. Bruce Holliday, commander of the Stettler detachment, around 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 12, officers pulled over a vehicle after observing the driver as someone known to them who had a suspended drivers licence and outstanding arrest warrants.
Officers made the stop, taking Larry Watson into custody. Watson was the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle.
During the arrest of Watson, he was subsequently searched which lead officers to seize a quantity of methamphetamine. While searching the vehicle in relation to the stop, officers also discovered open liquor and marijuana within reach of the driver. A police query of the vehicle indicated that it was unregistered and uninsured.
Watson is the former owner of a farm on Highway 601 which was raided by the Stettler, Bashaw and Killam detachments with support of the RCMP tactical operations team and air unit in 2016 which dismantled a methamphetamine lab on the property.
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Watson was charged with: possession of methamphetamine, driving while unauthorized, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, having open liquor in a motor vehicle and having cannabis within reach of the driver.
Given Watson’s history, members of the community had informed Holliday that Watson was back in the area during a recent “Coffee with a cop” meeting which had the Stettler RCMP officers keeping their eyes open for him.
Holliday appreciates the support of the community in addressing situations where individuals “bring harm” to the region through their actions.
“When we work together, we are more effective in dealing with those who have a negative effect on the community,” said Holliday.