HEAVILY armed police in tactical gear descended on a quiet Deep Cove neighbourhood Friday for what turned out to be a false alarm.
The dramatic response was triggered Friday afternoon when someone called 9-1-1 to report a weapons-related incident inside a house in the 400-block of Browning Place near Mt. Seymour Parkway. The call was dropped before dispatchers could get any more information.
North Vancouver RCMP surrounded the residence, cordoned off streets and cleared the area. A short time later, the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team arrived on scene, armed with automatic weapons. When the team eventually burst into the home and searched it, they found it empty. There was no sign that any offence had taken place.
While the call might have been phony, the incident underscored the RCMP's ability to respond, police said.
"It's reassuring to know that we have the extra resources available when we need them," said Const. Geoff Harder. "Both the Emergency Response Team and the police dog service were integral in making sure the neighbourhood was safe prior to us being able to further the investigation."
Investigators are still looking into who made the 9-1-1 call, which could lead to charges of public mischief.
