Editor, The News:
Re: Are we not allowed to defend ourselves? (Letters, April 8).
Let me start by saying, I don’t want to live in the ‘wild west’, where everyone’s packing their own protection.
Scary.
I do, however understand the frustration of the writer. I have been the victim of criminal activity in the past. We knew the perpetrator, he was seen in action. But there was no hard evidence, so that was the end of it. The police did all they could given the very restricted environment in which they work. They wanted to catch this guy.
When criticisms are leveled at the criminal justice system, the police are often envisioned at the forefront, when in fact they are simply the face and arms of this system, tightly mandated and scrutinized. These are good things, because they keep us honest. But the police still need to be able to do their jobs if they are to be effective.
Unfortunately, every time an officer draws his or her weapon or makes physical contact with a suspect, it’s all over the papers and somebody gets suspended. It seems the criminal element doesn’t need to fear the police any more than they do most people. People do need to fear the police just a little bit, or at least respect them, and this just isn’t the case right now.
They also need to fear the outcome if they actually do get to court, also not the case.
Basically, we have a good criminal justice system. We just need to help it do the job it was intended to do, where the rights of the victims are protected.
Sharon MacLeod
Maple Ridge