Tony Gooch, Victoria, B.C. (Times Colonist) – How much longer do the people of B.C. have to tolerate the irresponsible, arrogant behaviour of the RCMP? The latest incident is the lack of any disciplinary action against Const. Mike White, for his irresponsible action, or lack of action, in the 2008 Lisa Dudley incident.
A 911 call reported “six gunshots and a crash.” White is on audio record laughing at the report. He goes to the site, sits in his car for three minutes writing up a report on the incident, then drives away. He doesn’t even knock on the door.
Four days later, the RCMP are called to the house. This time they go inside and find one dead man and Lisa Dudley shot and barely alive. She subsequently dies.
Three years later, the RCMP disciplinary panel, after an hour-long hearing, gives White a reprimand and docks him one day’s pay. That’s it. White has since been promoted to corporal.
Clearly the RCMP have learned nothing since their shameful conduct in the Taser killing of the Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver airport. The RCMP tried to bury the video of the shooting and deny any wrongdoing. Only public outrage forced them to release the video, which put a lie to the statements of the four RCMP officers involved in the killing. This lead to the Braidwood Inquiry, which was scathing in its criticism of the RCMP’s conduct and their attempts to cover up the truth.
Enough is enough. We should cancel our contract with the RCMP and set up our own B.C. police force, accountable to the people of B.C. for its actions. The RCMP, from Ottawa down to the local senior officers in B.C., no longer deserve our trust.
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