Invisibility cloaks for police? B.C. RCMP detachment's April Fool's Day prank

RCMP photo caption: "Pictured above is Corporal Julie Klaussner wearing the new cloaking technology uniform posing in front of a subdued decaled police car."

A Metro Vancouver RCMP detachment made efforts to win over Harry Potter fans in an April 1 news release touting new "invisibility cloaking technology."

The Ridge Meadows RCMP said on April Fool's Day that those in the areas it covers can expect to see a new uniform and police vehicle equipped with the new tech.

"Public feedback has shown citizens seek transparent means of law enforcement service delivery," police said in the release, which included a photo with no humans in sight, and a caption describing an officer posing in the picture.

"While the nature of police work requires covert operation and confidentiality, the Ridge Meadows RCMP sought out a creative solution and in response have partnered with J.K. Industries."

The detachment said the new technology will allow officers to "tactically blend in with their environment."

The uniform is an April Fool's Day prank, but the decal technology is real, and is being put in place.

"The new cars look similar to traditional police vehicles but feature decaling which is more transparent in nature," the RCMP said.

Reactions on social media were mixed, with some laughing along or making doughnut jokes, but to some extent the technology does exist. Years ago, a company based in the detachment's area presented its version of what seemed initially like something out of a J.K. Rowling story.

HyperStealth Biotechnology Corporation built a product it called "Quantum Stealth," a light-bending material that can be used to obscure objects of different sizes and colours.

According to those at the lab, the material can also block infrared and thermal cameras from detecting a person.

The RCMP's announcement Friday was a joke, but one that may not be well received by all.

Calls have been growing to "defund the police," including in the Vancouver area, following fatal police shootings in North America, and for those with concerns, the joke may have seemed in poor taste.

Among those was the death of a 26-year-old Indigenous woman from Vancouver Island, who was shot in New Brunswick after police were called to perform a wellness check on her.

The shooting of Kyaw Din, a Maple Ridge man who had schizophrenia and was fatally shot by the RCMP, led to an inquest that ended in recommendations including funding to support first responders attending mental health calls. 

Police in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows aren't the first to announce a seemingly real update on the pranking holiday.

In 2019, the B.C. RCMP announced it was launching a Police Cat Service, and actually did receive at least one application in the mail.

Among those taking part in the tradition on Friday was the provincial transportation ministry, which posted about a vehicle fire captured on DriveBC webcam.

The ministry posted a photo captured on Highway 17 at Salish Sea Drive, with an added flaming DeLorean swerving off to one side of the road. Fans of Back to the Future may have recognized the vehicle.

Retailer The Bay joked about the launch of "Bae Days," a service that would help users meet their "perfect match."

Another Canadian corporate giant, Tim Hortons, announced the launch of a new line of "Double Double Coffee scented dryer sheets," posting on social media, "you’ll be smelling so good, people will do a double double take."

Canadian airline provider WestJet said its next destination would be a bit further away: space.

"Introducing WestJet-X" the company wrote, including a link for would-be space travellers to book their seats.

And it even built a webpage for the launch, promising "affordability is our mission," and offering one-way trips for $500,000. 

WestJet tagged Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, asking if he'd help write its boarding music.