The following response by Halton Police Chief Tanner, was provided to OakvilleNews.Org when he was asked to comment on a Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) press release, regarding potential changes to policing by new policies of the newly elected Federal Liberal government. Here is a link to that press release.
As the chief of Police here in Halton, and a member of the Board of Directors for the CACP (Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police) I believe the release by the CACP captures some of the highlights as they relate to policing matters from the election leading up the recent federal election.
Time will tell what transpires in the months and years ahead in relation to the issues listed, and how they are actually dealt with by the federal government, and then what the impacts will be on the public.
When it comes to Terrorism, we undoubtedly need a balance between the safety of the public, and the rights of individual citizens as determined by our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. However, as a leader in public safety I would never want to see a time where an act of terrorism was successfully carried out, and innocent lives lost, as a result of too high a level of personal privacy. There truly has to be a balance struck to allow law enforcement agencies, or those dealing with matters of national security, to act responsibly in the most serious of situations.
However, let's be truthful as well, organized crime benefits from the manufacture (grow ops) and distribution of this drug as well as many others...
When it comes to matters such as victims of violence, sexual assault, I want to see everything done that possibly can be done to protect those who have been victimized in some of these most serious situations.
Marijuana will always be an interesting discussion from a law enforcement perspective. Perhaps a means to decriminalize as opposed to legalizing this drug will be the way of the future. We do not need to have teenagers in criminal court for simple possession of small quantities of this drug.
However, let's be truthful as well, organized crime benefits from the manufacture (grow ops) and distribution of this drug as well as many others, and we have had murders committed in relation to very small debts to drug dealers for marijuana debts. This too is a balance that must be maintained, and we have to do what we do as a society to protect all people. And in addition many other crimes, such as residential break and enters, thefts etc are committed for the money to purchase drugs, including marihuana, and/or to pay off the related debts of their purchase.
I will be looking forward, as always, to what the federal government does in the months and years ahead of us all in many of these key areas.