When Burnaby RCMP Const. Robyn Kaplan asked me if I wanted to be handcuffed, I jumped at the chance.
I’m always up for new experiences.
So, she pulled out the metal bracelets and slapped them on and, well, it wasn’t quite as much fun as I had imagined. They actually hurt a little, although Kaplan was as gentle as she could be. I think the pain was a little more psychological.
Equally painful was sitting in the back of the RCMP cruiser in front of Metrotown mall on Friday during the Jail and Bail event that raised $14,000 for Cops for Cancer.
For some reason, I thought the backseat would be more like a regular vehicle’s backseat. It’s not. It’s actually hard plastic, which makes sense because I’m sure intoxicated perps vomit or defecate or urinate on them.
But I digress.
Then there is the experience of being marched in handcuffs through the mall and being greeted with weird looks from shoppers unsure if I was a real criminal, or just a journalist being “arrested” on a charge of “fake news.”
Kaplan locked me up in a metal cage. My cellmate was Chief Supt. Deanne Burleigh – the top dog at the Burnaby RCMP detachment.
She had been arrested for “stealing puppies,” which I think is a far worse crime than “fake news.” We were later joined by Mayor Mike Hurley. I thought he was in for stealing the election, but apparently he tried to take off with one of the Cops for Cancer bikes.
So, there we were, three people in the clink with shoppers all gawking at us as they sauntered by.
We were left to beg shoppers to donate to the campaign, which many did.
I was also furiously tweeting to try and get the last few people to donate to my online campaign. I set a goal of $1,000, thinking I would breeze to the finish line.
I didn’t.
Another arrest!
— Burnaby RCMP (@BurnabyRCMP) May 3, 2019
Burnaby Now editor @shinebox44 has been arrested for Fake News! He’s calling on all @BurnabyNOW_News staff and @LaraGraham to help bail him out! #CopsforCancer @TourdeCoast pic.twitter.com/iAwitOjU1T
Fundraising is actually harder than I thought. I have written some stories about the campaign and reached out to everyone in my life.
It took longer than I thought, but the last few donations rolled in (New Westminster city Coun. Patrick Johnstone pushed me over the top) and got more over the hump so I was released from custody. Some of the Burnaby NOW reporters actually donated money hoping to keep me in jail, so I stayed an extra hour in custody.
Hey, whatever works.
A group of Burnaby firefighters dropped by and bailed out Hurley. Other people were “jailed” in the event from around the community and they raised money as well.
As I said, the Jail and Bail event raised more than $14,000 so far, but there is still plenty of time to donate to my campaign.
My donation page can be found here. Cops for Cancer helps children and families affected by childhood cancer. I can’t think of a better cause.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
