There were tense moments in Thetis Lake Regional park yesterday morning after West Shore RCMP got a report of a female with a handgun.
She and a male partner were seen in the 2000 block of Gourman Place in Langford -- then were seen walking into Thetis Lake Park.
A heavy police presence was deployed, and officers worked their way into the park's network of trails, redirecting hikers along the way.
Cnst Nancy Saggar says it didn't take long to find the pair and a handgun was seized from the man's waistband, and the pair were arrested:
" And , you know, only after the arrest was made, and we were able to physically look at this gun can we say that okay, this is a replica, it's not real. So, we of course have to respond as if it's real. There's no way to tell that it's not unless you are looking at it and holding it."
 Saggar says flashing such guns around in public poses a real risk -- as RCMP must respond as if the weapon is real.
" It's kind of senseless. You wind up getting arrested for having a replica. There's no purpose to it in my mind. "
Saggar says pretty much every officer that was working was deployed to the park to handle the situation.
The two have been charged and due to appear in court.