High River- Police seizure of firearms

[Marc Montgomery]

No, not a CMP though. you're correct there....in fact not much electronic at all on a CMP. Imagine a vehicle you can tune without a computer...those were the days.

BTW massive floods in England, massive fires in OZ...no police smashing in doors and taking property in either place?

[Dianaa]

Originally Posted by Marc Montgomery

No, not a CMP though. you're correct there....in fact not much electronic at all on a CMP. Imagine a vehicle you can tune without a computer...those were the days.

BTW massive floods in England, massive fires in OZ...no police smashing in doors and taking property in either place?

But they are smashing into the bikie fortresses! (and taking their guns), but that's probably not a bad thing even if the suspension of civil liberties and denial of freedom of association is an issue.

[maple_leaf_eh]

One of the most unappreciated differences between Canada and the US is the so-called Miranda Rights given to persons detained by American cops. They have to be read their rights. In Canada the cops read the person a caution which allows just one phone call and offers very little individual protection.

There is case law that allows the cops to interrogate continuously without a lawyer present. Statements and confessions are accepted by the courts which have an odourous taint of intimidation and coertion. People go to jail for years for their flippant remarks, and are freed only after strenuous work by outsiders to have their cases reviewed. Some wrongful conviction settlements have been tens of millions of dollars.

The average biker is different than Joe-Blow Sixpack. They have lawyers on retainer, so when the cops break down the doors of a clubhouse or catch some Harley Davidson motorcycle with loud pipes, the guys get first class legal advice. Their probably even have "conduct after capture" training designed to counter police investigation techniques.

During the Alberta floods the Canadian Forces was 'called out' to assist the civil authoritites. The cops used some of their rubber assault boats to get to some isolated houses, and borrowed heavy picket fence post thumpers to break the doors. Apparently, when the army found out what their guys and kit were being used for, cooperation was abruptly withdrawn.

WRT Rob's RCMP acquaintance running to tell his story, that sounds like an internal story line that satisfies someone's need for rationalizing their actions. The thin blue line can close ranks tightly when it is challenged.

[Marc Montgomery]

Thanks for the link Rob.. It is truly frightening that people like Ms Cukier ( a paid lobbyist) will put their own personal agenda ahead of the foundations of our society in terms of our basic civil rights.

As to the RCMP...even if (and that is an enormous if) one accepts their thin excuse of breaking in to secure loose firearms, how can they explain the uneccessary damage iof destroying doors and frames worth anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars each, instead of simply breaking a small window beside when that option was avialable?

People there have said that in addition to tracking mud all over houses, and rooting through drawers, closets, etc they say mounties smashed doors on houses not part of the flood area, smashed a door on a house (not in a flood area) and which was getting extensive interior reno even though told by a friend as they arrived at the house , there was no one, and nothing inside..
Aslo they apparently did not break into houses owned by mounties. (at least two)

meanwhile, the latest this week.
http://o.canada.com/news/national/re...erta-flooding/

[Marc Montgomery]

Rob, can you possibly believe that claim? Victims of the flood? The town had been fully evacuated. If anyone had been left behind (virtually impossible) wouldnt they be at the door or window yelling for help? Maybe use a cell phone to call for help? Sorry, that claim is patently unbelievable. totally, i dont believe that for a nanosecond

Meanwhile, the swiss thing came about becuase of a dispute between two former partners..now both operating competing stores and as a very stupid tactic by one to get the other in trouble by claiming he was selling illegal firearms.. and look at the result...

I am not aware of the prescribed antiques issue.. could you clarify?

[cletrac (RIP)]

I guess when you start doing the goose step it's easy to overstep the bounds of your authority. It seems to go to your head!!
How are you protecting property by kicking down locked doors and leaving them swinging in the wind? If there was anyone inside a simple knock on the door would have gotten a reply.
This was a forced evacuation and the mounties and military were the only ones left in town. Maybe the military should have had authorization to protect the property from the RCMP.
Protecting property was a ruse and they didn't find a soul in the "protected" homes so what was the real reason for it? Personally I'll go with the firearms seizures.

[cletrac (RIP)]

Rob, I think you'll find that the phrase "doing the goose step" is a colloquialism referring to anybody that's overstepping their authority. Sure the Germans gave it notoriety but Iraq and North Korea do their part to keep it going.