(Calgary Herald) – When William Elliott was appointed RCMP commissioner in 2007, the challenges ahead were monumental.It fell to Elliott, a career civil servant, to rebuild the tattered remains of our once-proud national police force, and restore public trust in an institution that had badly fallen into disrepute. The 24,000-member force was “horribly broken,” according to an independent review at the time.
Less than two years later, the force is even worse off, and Elliott has failed to deliver. He needs to step aside –or be fired–so someone more effective and trustworthy can again try to restore accountability, transparency and integrity to our damaged Mounties.
Elliott has proven he’s as much out of touch as was his predecessor, Giuliano Zaccardelli. Canadians are rightly outraged by the persistent culture of arrogance, overzealous policing and coverups that have for too long been the norm.
As the public responds with shock and horror to the testimony of four officers involved in the fatal Tasering of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, Elliott is crying for understanding. The head Mountie had the nerve to suggest Canadians not “jump to conclusions” or engage in “knee jerk” reactions and instead recognize the pressures of policing.
The public understands full well when it hears testimony that’s riddled with untruths. Thanks to an amateur video of Dziekanski’s confrontation with police at the Vancouver International Airport, the public knows what happened.
The video contradicts all four officers’ earlier statements and clearly shows Dziekanski did not need to be Tasered five times to be brought under control.He was being Tasered even while already on the floor, moaning in pain. He was no threat to anyone, never mind to the four healthy RCMP officers who carried guns and wore body armour.
Elliott’s defence of his officers at all costs is evidence of the “knee jerk” conclusion he warned against. Between the disgraceful revelations at the judicial inquiry, and a CBC News report this week showing that RCMP Taser standards have in fact weakened under Elliott’s watch even though he told a parliamentary committee he would toughen them, it’s clear a number of outcomes must occur if the force is to regain its former stature.
-Amoratorium on the use of Tasers. A parliamentary committee threatened to do just that if the RCMP didn’t bring in “clear restrictions”on officers discharging the stun guns multiple times.
A CBC investigation contradicts Elliott’s testimony before the committee last month, when the commissioner said steps had been taken to restrict the use of Tasers.
However, as the CBC report shows, the RCMP has done the opposite–removing two key lines from its use-of-force policy that actually weakens the guidelines.The first guide-line limited use of the Taser to one shot, and no more than 20 seconds at a time.The second required officers to warn their suspects before deploying the electrical current.
The safety of stun guns is much disputed, with police and the main manufacturer arguing no direct link between Tasers and death has been established.
Hhaha. there’s the question. “Why are the RCMP so much in the news then”?
About the last 5 years, there has been a huge push by a group of very influencial people advocating a Regional Police Force. Since that time, everything the RCMP does has received negative press especially in BC. Even when it’s found they didn’t screw up, the next story is “Another misstep by the RCMP”.
Now add in the fact that the RCMP members in BC have been forced to change to a particularly crappy computer system. The same one that the Municipal officers use. You now have a police force to swap uniforms if BC goes Regional.
The public are being played on this. The media are making a fortune. In 2012 one of two things will happen. BC will go to a Regional force or the constant barrage of anti RCMP media stories will suddenly disappear.
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[Moderator: Content below was removed due to its insensitive nature. If this behaviour persists, future post may be deleted and/or the offender may be banned. Keep it clean. Keep it respectable. Keep the debate lively without offending each other. We are all allowed to our opinions and to express them openly.]
So you like Scotland Yard eh? check out the following quote:
“A team of detectives has been set up to tackle corruption within Scotland Yard, it emerged yesterday. The new unit of the Metropolitan Police’s Complaints Investigation Bureau, CIB3, will take a pro-active role in identifying and investigating corrupt officers, rather than waiting for complaints. It is headed by Detective Superintendent Dave Woods and has a staff of about 50 hand-picked detectives.
Meanwhile, in the courts, the police yesterday faced three cases of alleged wrong-doing: a man who spent more than five years in jail after police officers from a West Midlands squad made up his “confession” was awarded pounds 200,000 compensation; a black couple won more than pounds 60,000 after they were allegedly beaten by police when they complained about a “violent” arrest; and police officers traded heroin for information on crimes, an inquest heard, although police denied any drugs had been bought by officers.”
from:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/scotland-yard-team-set-to-tackle-police-corruption-1139709.html
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Well it’s like this;
They are more concern about the outside of the red apple instead of the inside of the organazation and with these last few cases where people have died Canadians have seen the apple get cut open and have seen that the apple is rotten to the core.
They seem at the surface to be more interested in their images rather than to get dirty do what is good and right.
I would suggest that the RCMP might need some outside help (Scottland Yard) to choose the right leader because I do not believe the federal government is capabable anymore to make this kind of decissions, I have lost confidence in the political process because I believe they are also in the barrel of apples and have been spoiled by the Political Spirit operating in our times.
I also believe that the image or images will most likely take president and will over ride doing what is right and it’s viewed with a care free attitude and really only a band aid solution to a crises that needs an emediate emergency operation.
They also would like us to believe they are always doing what is right, but are they?
When there is a Political Spirit in operation in an organazation, this can be in all levels, alliances are formed and there’s always people that die, some physical, some career wise while others spiritually.
Machiavelliau Intelligence (Niccolo Machiavelliau – 1469-1527)
Social Intelligence – Selfishness, very little morals, no loyalties, no real defined standards, or any they will follow – they forme judgements and place restrictions and ceilings over and in front of people, controling them while they move with secreat agendas disclosing very little as they lie, lie, lie, because to them the end justifies the means.
However one thing stands out with this Political Spirit and botters them greatly – they are very concern about what people think of them, their IMAGE is more vital to them than being seen as doing the right thing and this is why they lie, lie, lie.
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Sorry 23,383 sworn Ontario police officers and 2623 total complaints
percentage: 11.2%
These stats Alcan are available on the websites of the police complaints commissions for various provinces and the various police department websites. All you have to do is use Google.
My question was what do you deduce from those stats?
It’s obvious to me that other major police departments have for the most part greater number of complaints against them. why are they not looked into and reported by the media in such detail as they do with the RCMP? Fairness? Bias??
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Maybe they have the bad areas to deal with or maybe they are under staffed, I don’t know I’m not there.
It looks like maybe the RCMP are not under staffed at all when they go to a call maybe there’s allot more of them responding could this be one of the main reasons it keeps the complaints down?
Again I really don’t know because I’m not there and I really don’t have access to those stats you posted… sorry!
But thanks for sharing those numbers….
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When William Elliott was appointed as the new RCMP Commissioner, I had high hopes that perhaps a career civil servant could expertly manage the intricacies of a complex department. However, now, I have my doubts whether he is the right man for the job, as he appears far too timid for a real shakeup of this force. (Civilian Eric Silk of the O.P.P. was an exception, in my opinion)
“The head Mountie had the nerve to suggest Canadians not “jump to conclusions” or engage in “knee jerk” reactions and instead recognize the pressures of policing.”
Rightly so! It appears that Elliott is trying to deflect or mitigate the lack of moral actions taken by these officers, especially the Corporal issuing the order to taser and the trigger-happy officer unnecessarily zapping the (now-dead) man, five (5) times for a total of 31 seconds!
In the not too distant past, four strong cops could have easily manually subdued Robert Dziekanski…if need be. Instead, a more perceptive cop would have seen an agitated man in need of help and not a threat as these officers falsely claimed. Now, any chance for promotions are finished because they reacted like a pack of wolves surrounding their prey without giving enough time to reasoned thinking.
Elliott — “…..instead recognize the pressures of policing.”
Ninety-five percent boredom and five percent terror. Been there and done that.
Surely, from such a large pool of sworn RCMP members there is ONE person that is capable of stick-handling politics with one hand and the other managing the force with a stern and disciplined hand. To find that one “needle in the haystack”, recommendations should be solicited from across Canada by both the public and members themselves.
Unfortunately, meddling political forces that run above common sense, and even above the law, have taken precedence over the spirit of good and honourable policing. Political-correctness and political favourtism are poisons that are slowly killing the “patient” in this case.
Bad managers are always responsible for placing a morbid pall over their subordinates which inevitably results in low morale. Many of these career arrogant types are simply misplaced and should never have become policemen to begin with, simply because they had already come with a self-inflated view of themselves.
…also
“2007 complaints against police:
Ontario Provincial Police – 2623″??
Their total police numbers are only about 5000 plus!
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Short? Puhleese.
Ontario Provincial Police 10.% complaint rate
Montreal PD 17.1% complaint rate
All Quebec Police 9.7% complaint rate
Vancouver PD 19% complaint rate
RCMP 7.8% complaint rate
I have done the math for you. You will note the RCMP have a lower complaint rate than the other forces. You can look up other cities and see what they are like.
Why are the RCMP so much in the news? Because it is fashionable at this point in time to bash the national sacred cow. How do you think that the Vancouver PD or the Montreal PD would fare under the same media attention that is given to the RCMP?
Out of the millions of contacts with the public a 16000 member force has per year you have 1258 complaints. The Vancouver PD with 1279 cops and they have 244 from less contacts in a given year with Vancouver residents, but have over double the complaint rate.
What can YOU deduce from these facts Alcan?
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Some of them look like they are short?
Since you have allot of the answers, why are the RCMP so much in the news then?
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When in doubt, run the numbers. You want to go after the “sacret cow”, so you should arm yourself with a few facts.
2007 complaints against police:
Ontario Provincial Police – 2623
Montreal PD – 720
All Quebec police – 1459
Vancouver PD – 244
RCMP Canada Wide – 1258
Now check the numbers in each of the above mentioned departments.
Ontario had 24,450 in 2007.
Quebec had 15,233 in 2007.
Montreal had 4200 in 2007.
Vancouver PD had 1279 in 2007.
RCMP had 16000+ in 2007.
Notice anything???
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Mr. Robert Dziekanski (a dead human being who’s reputation has been badly tarnished by a reputable police force) was not opposing those Four RCMP members but confused and he was looking for some help. The video shows how bad things are and it’s so bad it’s hopeless of even thinking we can fix this mess.
The record may even show that 99.99% of those officers get away with their ignorance and lawlessness and the force’s accountability standards may even be the cause of the cry to disband.
The video did not counterdicted the four officers but it was the opposit; the officers counterdicted the video even while it was still in the investigators hands and they knew the truth.
Knowing the truth, they still allowed those four officers to get away with those statements and testimonies which shows clearly that the leadership is beyond fixing.
The video spoke no lies but through the media they tried to make us believe the video was supporting the officers statements, saying things it did not which shows why those tasers should be banded until accountability can be attained and or video cameras can be placed on them.
The video and the Testimonies that have come forth which does not support the forces findings and position clearly shows we have a problem in the force and it maybe to severe to be fixed.
This is not the only issue because in the pass there has been much said about their honor but discarded as rubish and fabrications until this video surfaced.
Our Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli resigned in shame after he was caught lying, the only one since the force was started and now Commissioner Elliott is being asked to do the same.
Their statements shows they have both severely favored the force and their actions and have failed the Canadian people and their own honest membership in their responsability to Serve and Protect, showing poor leadership. People are dying here and it’s just business as usual.
Are we not still under the Queen?
In Ontario and in Quebec we have clearly shown we can have Provincial police forces and the model is working well in both provinces.
Maybe it’s time to disband the RCMP and ask Scottland Yard to come and help us build our police forces again. Did they not offer to come and help build the RCMP again the right way and wasn’t their help refused by our own leaders? Well now I believe it’s time to remove this responsibility and up root them also from all government departments when they stop justice from coming forth because it’s a mess.
Poland has been denied access to documents as most Canadians are by the RCMP Access to Information and they are mad here and they have a right to be. Police investigating police is ridiculous to say the least.
What is Minister Stockwell Day the Minister of Public Safety and Security suggesting we do now that one Commissioners has fallen and a cry for the second one is being asked to step down as well?
Lets go after our sacret cow now; I also believe the musical ride should be disbanded because it only trains our officers to circle the prey and move in for the kill which is an old western style of doing things and is totally out of touch with our modern times. We are not living in the wild, wild west anymore and also because of the buget fiscal problems maybe it’s time to knock out the perks.
This article is very well written…
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