Clearwater and Quesnel RCMP detachments recently arrested two fugitives wanted in Alberta.
Robert Handy was arrested by Clearwater RCMP on April 10. He was returned to Alberta on April 15. Handy was wanted by the Red Deer RCMP for possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose and failing to attend court in relation to an incident that had occurred in Red Deer on Nov. 14, 2013.
The second fugitive, Ryan Allan Danchuk, was wanted by the Edmonton Police Service for assault. He also was wanted in two other Alberta regions, including Drayton Valley and Fort Saskatchewan, for offences including failing to comply with conditions and being unlawfully at large. Quesnel RCMP arrested Danchuk on April 9 and he was returned to Alberta on April 14.
These two fugitive returns represent the 66th and 67th individuals returned out of province through the BC Fugitive Return Program.
Both of these individual’s warrants were extended to British Columbia by the Province of Alberta and were transported back by the Alberta Sheriffs with assistance from the BC Sheriff Service.
The BC Fugitive Return Program is managed by the RCMP and a joint management team consisting of the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP. The program is funded by the Civil Forfeiture Office and BC Sheriff Services.
On Feb. 15, 2012, the B.C. government, the RCMP, all B.C. municipal police agencies, and BC Sheriff Services signed a Memorandum of Understanding that led to the establishment of the program.
The program was created to hold individuals, currently residing in British Columbia with out of province arrest warrants, accountable for their actions. It is hoped that, by facilitating the return of these individuals to deal with their outstanding matters, some measure of resolution will be brought to their victims. It will also help send a message to criminals that they cannot evade justice simply by leaving one province to go to another.