Editor, The News:
If the RCMP are replaced with a provincial unit, we will get the same rat-pack of costly cops instead of addressing the underlying weak, moral and professional problems of a profession that lacks integrity and discipline to police its own.
There is no accountability or transparency at all levels, including costs. There is joke disciplinary action in a shady brotherhood that protects its own while holding us to far tougher standards.
Until we “nail” criminal cops and outrageous misconducts with firings and jail time instead of “slapped wrists,” we will just change the uniform.
There is no honesty in shady hirings nor promotions and far too often, in the absence of civilians overshadowing police, including disciplinary action, there are chronic abuses. That is why provinces like Ontario have specialized investigative units to independently oversee police complaints, shootings, as opposed to a buddy-buddy system.
Vancouver Police, for example, should not investigate the RCMP as much as Calgary police investigate the Ontario Provincial Police. It parallels the same as a convicted drug trafficker being a judge in the case of a child molester. Get my drift.
There are far too many examples of cops committing criminal offenses or misconducts and, perversely, being allowed to keep their jobs while the rest of us would be lose everything. Case in point, Cnst. Griffin Gillian and cronies, Dziekanski tasering death, Monty Robinson, Lisa Alford, Ottawa cops assaulting a black female in cell (videotaped) and many more shameful injustices. To merely give cops community service, minor fines, paid suspensions, lateral transfers, does little for public confidence in those who do not deserve respect.
We can change badges, but that will do nothing until they are held accountable for crimes, hirings, promotions, scandals, budgets.
Most often rotten apples keep their badges to the detriment of those who do a good job and far too many are on stress leave like extended holidays.
We need tough moralistic judges, not parasitic Neanderthals who rub elbows with cops. Police unions are no better with their shame in protecting the many bad apples who need the boot.
Nothing will change until we have a zero tolerance policy from government to hold cops to the same playing field as citizens.
City police in Canada are far overpaid and putting a provincial unit will kill us with the same mongrelized bunch of ex-RCMP or flunkies from city uniforms.
Kerwin Maude
Pitt Meadows