Two RCMP surveillance cameras containing sensitive photos have been taken and have yet to be returned.
The cameras were found in trees in Grand Forks near a trailer home rented by Dion Nordick, a.k.a. Buck Addams, and contained multiple images of various investigations.
Nordick first spotted the cameras when he was leaving the house at night after a raid by the RCMP on his residence in June.
“As we were pulling out of the yard, it looked like a deer in the headlights,” he said. “I put my hand out and told the person who was driving to slow down because I didn’t want the deer to jump out and hit us. I looked closer and it looked like an antiqued camera.”
At first Nordick thought “rippers” or thieves had placed the cameras there so they could identify when his place was empty.
“When I grabbed the camera I didn’t think it was the police because I didn’t think police would employ these kinds of tactics,” stated Nordick.
After removing the cameras, Nordick checked the flash drives.
“The flash drive on the camera in the front was just surveillance pictures. Inside was a folder that had pictures of my friends coming and going,” explained Nordick.
“The next camera had that folder and two other folders. There were probably 240 pictures, 120 in each file, and they were just one after another, pictures of another investigation.”
There pictures included dead bodies and victims of domestic abuse.
Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel, who is in charge of RCMP operations for NCOs (non-commissioned officers) for Kootenay Boundary in Nelson, stated the cameras were placed outside the target’s property.
“The RCMP were conducting a grow op operation and the cameras were placed were on a location outside of the targeted residence that was later subject to a search warrant,” said Seibel. “It was to show or capture images vehicles going in and vehicles going out.”’
Nordick disagreed and stated he could reach out and grab the camera from his driveway.
"From standing on my driveway, I could basically reach and grab the camera. The facts that the police were saying about it being on public property ... was not true," stated Nordick.
In regards to the alarming photographs, Seibel is unable to comment decisively on what happened.
“The images (could have been) mistakenly left on after the officer thought he removed them, the equipment was faulty in the removal or the images were re-imaged after being deleted,” explained Seibel. “Those options are probable, but there may be more.”
Nordick and his lawyer Jesse Gelber (in Trail) still have custody of the cameras and flash drives.
Seibel pointed out that there has been correspondence with Gelber and Nordick for returning the cameras.
“We want the property returned immediately,” he said. “I’ve heard through the broadcast on another media outlet this morning that Mr. Gelber is prepared to meet with the RCMP, providing we give him an explanation to the reasons that the cameras were set up.”
Nordick stated he and his lawyer would be meeting with RCMP next week.
“We’re going to be meeting with them next week and arrangements have been made about that,” said Nordick. “Ultimately, I think they need to pay me compensation for screwing with my life for four months.
“What I want, at a bare minimum, is an apology from the RCMP at least.”
Nordick is currently facing no charges and moved to Nelson in September and Gelber has not yet returned calls from The Gazette.