A 55-year-old man is facing charges after someone attempted to pass through a community checkpoint at Nisichawayashihk Cree Nation while driving an imitation police vehicle, RCMP say.
Mounties say the call came in Wednesday, after a man arrived at the community checkstop in a white Crown Victoria car with a working red and white light bar on the roof, and told people he would be conducting patrols.
The checkpoint is in place as part of COVID-19 measures.
Officers were able to get a search warrant for the suspect’s home in Nisichawayasihk, and police say they seized a BB gun, bear mace, “police style flashlights,” a tactical style vest, handcuffs and assorted ammunition.
They also say they recovered the Crown Victoria, which was later found to be a decommissioned police vehicle.
The 55-year-old is facing charges of possession of a prohibited weapon and impersonating a police officer, and remains in custody.
Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation is roughly 800 kilometres north of Winnipeg, and 80 kilometres west of Thompson.