Creation and new media students at UQAT were left with quite a scare after a police intervention interrupted the filming of a robbery scene on April 8 in a location in downtown Rouyn. Noranda.
A member of the film crew was handcuffed during the police intervention, which took place after a passerby called 911, believing he had witnessed a real burglary.
The students were filming their scene inside the establishment when the police burst in. The members of the film crew had no choice but to obey the officers’ instructions.
According to Sergeant Nancy Fournier, of the Sûreté du Québec, the police carried out a so-called intervention high risk
after seeing, while looking in the store window, what they believed to be a burglary or a hostage taking.
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Sergeant Nancy Fournier, spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Mélanie Picard
Still according to Sergeant Fournier, the intervention did not cause any injuries and the police officers acted following the protocol dictated by this type of situation.
Wishing to turn the page on this incredible situation, the student responsible for the filming did not wish to comment publicly on the events.
Lessons learned
The director of the Communications and Recruitment Service at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Stéphanie Duchesne, specifies that the filming was not part of a course or an activity of the university, but that materials had been provided to the students for their project.
According to the information we had, it happened very quickly because the police realized that it was indeed a student shoot, but obviously it was taken seriously from the start and the objective was to resolve the situation and see if there was not a real event happening
she says.
Obviously, it was a definite learning opportunity for the students, they were made aware of the future and the impacts of such a situation. We’re lucky, because all’s well that ends well.
Aware that the intervention may have caused stress among the students, Ms. Duchesne nevertheless said she was reassured to see the efficiency and speed with which the police responded to a potentially dangerous situation.
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The director of the Communications and Recruitment Department at UQAT, Stéphanie Duchesne.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Jessica Gélinas
Clearly [rassurant]! And UQAT, we have a great collaboration with the Sûreté du Québec in the context of filming like that, they are usually informed. I think this is excellent news for the safety of our population.
she observed.
Even if the filming was a personal initiative, Stéphanie Duchesne maintains that the mishap constitutes an opportunity to remind the student community about the good practices to adopt before filming sensitive scenes.
Usually there is a protocol to follow. Students, when these are sensitive scenes, must put up posters and inform the Sûreté du Québec, among others. It was certainly a great opportunity to provide reminders, raise awareness again, talk about the importance of these steps and update all the procedures.
she concludes.
