A woman in Nova Scotia expressed remorse for contacting the RCMP to report a reckless driver, leading to an unexpected visit from an officer at her home. Robin MacDougall was driving towards Port Hawkesbury from Antigonish when she noticed a vehicle swerving on Highway 104. Concerned, she dialed 911, and was advised to call back if the situation changed.

Less than 10 minutes later, as she neared Port Hawkesbury, MacDougall phoned again, informing the dispatcher that the erratic driver was headed towards Cape Breton. To her surprise, while having lunch with her parents, she received a call from an RCMP officer who mentioned being in her house due to a miscommunication.

MacDougall and her partner, who was at work, had left their back door unlocked, enabling the officer to enter the residence. Feeling bewildered by the situation and worried about her cats, MacDougall contacted her friend, Jade Lowe, who described the officer as apologetic and flustered upon their arrival.

Although MacDougall felt her privacy had been violated, the RCMP detachment in Antigonish defended the officer’s actions. Staff Sgt. Kimberly Hillier explained that a dropped call from MacDougall prompted the home visit, as attempts to reconnect with her were unsuccessful. The officers were responding to a potential distress situation, not a search for an impaired driver.

Discrepancies arose between MacDougall and Hillier regarding the dropped call claim. Hillier cited poor cell coverage in the region, suggesting the call might have been missed due to connectivity issues. However, MacDougall disputed this, stating there was no evidence of a disconnected call in her records and that she did not make a third call to the RCMP.