Op-Ed: Police Mistake Skunk's Smell For Marijuana

Imagine it’s around 7:30 p.m. and you’re sitting in your home alone - Well, with the exception of a skunk who happens to live at the bottom of your front porch.

You and perhaps the skunk are simply minding your own business when suddenly a team of cops come charging in a begin raiding your home. What do you do? What would go through your mind? On the evening of January 6, 2011 this is exactly what happened to Oliver MacQuat who lives in the rural town of Montee Parement, Quebec. According to MacQuat, he was met at the door with “10 officers who all had their guns drawn."He claimed that he was so terrified that he believed his heart was probably "going at 150 miles per hour.” Thinking MacQuat’s house was involved in growing marijuana , the police rampaged through his home apparently searching for the mounds of weed. Meanwhile, while all this was taking place, his teenage son Emilo returned home to the sight of police cruisers with their red lights flashing in front his house. MacQuat’ son said, “I was shaking. I was very worried. I did not know what happened to my dad.” Finally, a senior officer arrived at the scene said “There is a skunk…everything is clean.” According to MacQuat, “You could see they were very embarrassed and genuinely sorry. They all apologized.” However- MacQuat asks that the Gatinteau police and the Quebec Provincial Police make the apology formal. He’s afraid the raid may appear on his record, especially on any of his future travels. The police seem adamant in their belief that the raid was not a mistake for it appears they insist they had reasonable grounds to conduct a search. If so, the police should state what those reasonable grounds are. Mistaking the smell of a skunk to that of marijuana would hardly seem like reasonable grounds. Besides, it’s a stinking insult to the skunk.