Disingenuous or Dumb?

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan is either one of the most disingenuous local politicians in a long time or one of the dumbest.

When, in the last civic election campaign it became known that Sullivan had given an addict money to purchase drugs and had driven him around in his van ostensibly because Sullivan wanted to learn more about addiction or some such nonsense, I thought he must be an idiot.

But, he managed to run a successful campaign and in the year and a half or so since he has been mayor of Canada’s third largest city, he hasn’t done anything really outrageous or spectacular for that matter.

But, his statements in the media yesterday after the media reported that the Drake Hotel, purchased by the city for three times its assessed value, was owned by a numbered company which had Hells Angel East End chapter president John Peter Bryce as the sole company officer, was a surprise to him is outrageous.

Notwithstanding any other of the numerous public source reports, last year the Vancouver Sun ran a series about the biker gang called Hells Angels Inc. in which they detailed in depth the various business holdings of the Hells Angels and central to that were the real estate holdings of Bryce and other gang members.

Does Sullivan not read front page stories in major media about what is happening in the city he presides over? Equally, a minimum of research by city staffers doing due diligence on the purchase would have uncovered the ties.

No, there’s something else at play here. The taxpayers of the city of Vancouver are getting hosed here and an already wealthy, senior member of the outlaw biker gang is being made even richer with tax dollars. After paying three time the assessed value for a mere 24 rooms, Sullivan says he didn’t know.

Well, if he didn’t, he bloody well should have given that the homeless situation is his pet project. Disingenuous, incompetent, criminal or dumb? I don’t know. But I think the police need to get their nose into this whole deal and the quicker the better.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com

Tasers aren't the enemy

On June 23, 2004 Robert Wayne Bagnell died. According to a coroner's jury, he died of "restraint-associated cardiac arrest" due to acute cocaine intoxication and psychosis. And not, because Vancouver police officers used tasers to arrest and control the out-of-control man.

According to the report in the Vancouver Sun Bagnell's family were "disappointed" the coroner's jury didn't make any reccomendations. Such as . . .. . . what exactly?

Bagnell was the author of his own misfortune and nothing the family says will change that. He was on cocaine over-drive and destructive and violent. The police tried to just keep Bagnell contained until he came down and was more responsive. Circumstance forced their hand and the police opted to deploy tasers, considered non-lethal, to restrain and control Bagnell.

As happens sometimes when a taser is used on someone with a cocaine-fired heart, the electrical shock has an adverse effect on their cardio-vascular system. And sometimes when that happens, the already over-loaded heart shuts down. We can debate whether or not that is tragic in a different forum, but suffice to say that in all the cases of this type of thing happening, it was never a result of the taser use, but the result of what the people do to themselves.

But the hand-wringers seem to want to blame the police and force them to stop using tasers. The very thing they cry for when a cop under attack by some loser with a knife shoots the transgressor and the moaning starts: "why couldn't they have shot him in the leg? Boo-hoo-hoo . . .

The jury didn't quite say it as directly as I might have. But they were clear. Bagnall ingested way too much cocaine and it overloaded his system. That was why he died.

I'm sorry for the pain Bagnell put his family through and I sympathize with them. But, their anger is misplaced and the taser is a valuable weapon that allows the police to refrain from using the type of lethal force they would have previously had to use in so many instances.

The cops can't interview someone to determine if they are in the throes of cocaine psychosis prior to deploying a taser. Yet, the hand-wringers and the chattering class is too quick to blame the police instead of blaming the ones who are actually responsible and unfortunately, never accountable.

As a final thought, I picked up my weekend Vancouver Sun on Saturday. On the main break of the Westcoast (B) section there was a teaser in big bold print at the top saying: "Report condems tasers" pg. B11.

Yet, when one turned to page B11, one read the fair and balanced piece written by Neal Hall and linked above. What report? What condemnation of tasers? So, what was the editor reading when he placed that teaser on B1? Or, more accurately, was it more likely wishful thinking by a charter member of the chattering class that seems to be representative of the mainstream media these days?

Just asking.

Leo Knight

leo@primetimecrime.com

Media Sheep

Years ago, when John Yorston hired me into the mewsroom of the now defunct Montreal Star, I was taught that jounalists had to question everything and to source what you were being told twice or more. I wonder where that dogma has gone in the mainstream media in Canada today.

Last week, Ontario Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman testified before the Air India inquiry that he had seen a piece of raw intelligence that indicated an attack was imminent on Air India and had promptly marched it over to an unnamed Mountie who said he had already seen the intel. Bartleman then said he'd heard about the Air India bombing in which 329 people lost their lives as he was packing the family up to go to the lake for the weekend. And for twenty plus years he said nothing!

The Central Canadian mainstream media may swallow this wholeheartedly as is their wont, but please, is there anyone in the real world, who believes that a career bureaucrat who was in the posession of some information that seemed to play out to be true, wouldn't engage in a "cover your ass" exercise by telling someone superior immediately after the event?

Give me a break!

Bureaucrats learn, very soon after they are weaned from the nipple, that they must engage in an exercise called CYA - Cover Your Ass. Go on, I defy you. Ask any civil servant what "CYA" means and you will hear the response "Cover Your Ass."

So, back to the career civil servant and now the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. How is it possible that he warned the RCMP of an impending threat, heard that the threat was carried out and did absolutely nothing for over 20 years to cover his ass?

I call Bullshit, Your Excellency.

Your move.

And while I am on the subject of "bullshit", what is with lawyer Norm Boxall? He is representing some of the Air India families. He was chirping about the five months it took to get a warrant to intercept a primary target of the police investigation.

Excuse me! It is the lawyers who have created such a logjam for police to get intercept warrants in the first place. If this jackass wants to know what the problem is/was, perhaps he should look at his own learned friends.

Consider this quote from former Vancouver Police Homicide Sergeant on the subject: "A lawyer complaining that it takes too long to get a wiretap. Perhaps he might consider the fact that the original legislation which in itself was overly complex and cumbersome, was drafted by lawyers. Since then, decisions of the Supreme Court have made it even more complex and restrictive on the police as a result of........you guessed it......submissions by lawyers. Who stands ready to toss a wiretap should an 'i' not be dotted or a 't' crossed? Yup, judges, who used to be lawyers. Lawyers have turned Part Vl into such an impossible administrative monster that most cops run the other way rather than become involved in one."

But, back to the original point. Ontario's Lieutenant Governor has said something is so. He has produced no evidence to establish that what he says is true. In point of fact, his actions subsequently have not been indicative of the sequence of events to which he has testified.

And, the worst part is the sheep-like mainstream media have swallowed it - hook, line & sinker.

Leo Knight

leo@primetimecrime.com

Trouble in Paradise

I'd say it's nice to be back from a spring sojourn to Hawaii. But it's not.

From Paradise to the reality of the nonsense that we seem to tolerate, without question, in our Deranged Dominion is a difficult transition.

First, news out of British Columbia that the three BC Ferry workers on duty on the bridge, that fateful night a year ago, when the Queen of the North ploughed into Gill Island resulting in the loss of the ship and two lives, were fired for not cooperating with the subsequent enquiries. And the oh-so-so-typical Left Coast response that their union will appeal.

While I would never attach the phrase ‘common sense’ and ‘union’ in the same sentence, have these idiots in this union lost whatever intelligence they were born with? Two innocent people are dead and a multi-million dollar piece of equipment they were responsible for is on the sea bed as a direct result of their actions. Who, if not the Officers on watch, are responsible?

They have demonstrated they have something to hide, hence their non-cooperation. BC Ferries have made them accountable for their actions. I would only ask what took them so long? The union needs to understand this is not the Hill they want to die on.

*******************************

And then there’s the story of Ontario Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman and his incredible tale that, while a Foreign Affairs intelligence analyst, he spotted something that suggested an attack was imminent on Air India immediately prior to the actual bombing in 1985 that took 329 lives.

Does he really expect us to believe that after being rebuffed by a Mountie he brought the intel to and being so upset when he learned of the downing of the Air India flight off the coast of Ireland as he loaded his family into a station wagon for their weekend trip, that he did absolutely nothing for twenty two years? He is either an idiot or utterly incompetent. Either should disqualify him for a job as Ontario Lieutenant Governor.

Well, perhaps not in Dalton McGinty’s Ontario.

Suffice to say his testimony before the Major inquiry into Air India does not stand a credibility test and certainly didn’t deserve the breathless headlines on the front pages of dailies across the country on Friday.

***********************************

And the kicker of the week is the knee-jerk reaction of the Chief Constable of Calgary Police Service after some cop-hating zipperhead shot some vanilla video of two Calgary cops arresting some uncooperative dopehead.

The video was sent to CPS Chief Constable Jack Beaton. A copy was sent, I am told, to Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier and copies to CTV and CBC. Okay. So what does the video show?

Abuse? Excessive force? Beatings? Police brutality? Well, not really. It shows two cops dealing with a street dopehead who is uncooperative. Along the way he takes a cuff and a bit of a drag when he won’t get up.

Umm, Jack, are you kidding me when you called that presser yesterday announcing the suspension of those junior officers? Are cops in Calgary no longer allowed to engage street assholes in the course of their duties anymore?

I carry no brief for Jack Beaton as the Chief Constable of the Calgary Police Service. In my opinion he is a lousy leader of a modern police service.

Cops he should be hanging out to dry, he seems to protect. People he should be protecting, he hangs out to dry. Why is that?

In my view Beaton is incompetent for the job he has. The Calgary Police Commission had every reason not to extend his contract in 2005. Why they extended him to 2007 should probably be subject to an independent investigation. But that is a separate matter.

The two junior officers in this video tape were doing their job. And in the real world, sometimes a cop’s job involves getting ‘hands on’. There are Use of Force provisions in the Criminal Code of Canada. Were these officers in breach of those regulations? I don’t know and I guarantee you, neither did Jack Beaton when he decided to deny them due process and suspended them based on 41 seconds of video that simply does not tell the whole story.

Why not wait until an investigation is done to render judgement?

Why would a previously indecisive Chief do that? Well, that is interesting in itself. A serving Staff Sergeant is accused of defrauding fellow members of over a million dollars in a Ponzi scheme and Beaton twirls on his thumb. Two junior officers are caught on video trying to do their job and allegedly rough up a dope dealer in a minor way and he suspends them before the horse is even out of the gate? What is he up to?

Beaton is staring at a huge embarrassment in the face of the witch hunt he conducted to find out who was behind the web site Stand Firm that was very critical of his administration. I would guess that he is seeking a quick hit PR win to blunt that hit. To accomplish that he will need to trash the careers of two young police officers who were just trying to serve the citizens of the city of Calgary. And that is tragic.

The men and women who are prepared to get “hands on” with the criminal element who are permeating the city of Calgary in recent years of economic boom are deserving of the support of their Chief. Beaton has failed the brave men and women of the Calgary Police Service yet again. And in doing so, in my opinion, he has failed the citizens of the city of Calgary. Yet again.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com

Justice is a myth in Canada

It is quite amusing really to hear the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, Beverly McLachlin, say that it's a myth that Canadian courts are soft on crime. It is perhaps frightening to think that she might really believe it.

I guarantee that there is not a right-thinking person in this country who is not a criminal, a Liberal or a lawyer who would agree with the perspective spouted by McLachlin. It simply doesn't matter which case you look at in Canada, justice is never done. There is a legal system in Canada, but it can hardly be described as a justice system.

It doesn't matter whether we are talking about the courts in Manitoba who are blatently ignorant about the Hells Angels or the provincial court in BC who simply cannot or will not jail habitual criminals for anything longer than a couple of weeks despite dozens and dozens of previous convictions and in the face of the highest property crime rates on the continent, the courts in Canada are failing the citizens of this country day after day. And nothing the Chief Justice tries to spin will alter that fact.

A regular reader wrote to me this week after yet another judicial outrage. Here are his comments unedited.

************************************

When are we going to learn? When they blow up the CN Tower, the Lion's Gate Bridge at rush hour? Acts of terrorism are acts of war and must be treated as such if we are to have any hope of defending ourselves. Liberals like Bill Clinton characterize it as a law enforcement problem which should be addressed with the Marquis of Queensbury Rules.

What a beauty this judge is. I can't imagine how they missed appointing her to the provincial courts in BC. She allows the wife to go surety while at the same time noting that she has previously lied to the court and voicing concern that she will not carry out her responsibilities. Then she takes comfort in a Supreme Court of Canada decision that offers the 'suggestion' that the danger represented by a terrorist declines with the time he spends in custody. As Ed McMahon used to say on the Johnny Carson show, "I did not know that". I guess spending time in a Canadian correctional facility miraculously saps the rabid hatred these people have felt for us all their lives. Right. Like it rehabilitates ordinary criminals and makes them fear going back. I also didn't realize the learned judges of the Supreme Court have become such experts in international terrorism.

In addition to the obvious risk, there's the expense of the physical and technical surveillance required to monitor this individual and ensure he respects his 'extreme form of house arrest'. The liberals would have us believe that we should all be happy to foot that bill because by protecting Mr. Jaballah's rights we are simply protecting ourselves. I know they like to think that Mr. Jaballah and his ilk are drawn to Canada for its diversity, tolerance, and multiculturalism and, of course, have no axe to grind against us because, after all, we're not Americans. Call me suspicious, fascist, racist, whatever you like, but when it comes to terrorists I don't believe anything they do or anywhere they go is coincidental or without purpose.

Based solely upon what was written in this article, Mr. Jaballah should have been on his way home a long time ago and the judge had the benefit of a lot more evidence than that. It galls me that all that is keeping this killer here is the 'suggestion' (as opposed to 'evidence', 'high probability' , 'certainty') of torture should he be deported to his native Egypt. Sorry folks, but when the presence of a committed foreign terrorist (Read: 'enemy combatant) threatens Canada's Security and that of it's allies, in my mind the situation should be resolved in favor of Canada.

This is war and our rights trump his. Plain and simple.

Bob Cooper

Richmond, BC

*******************************************

The Chief Justice can spin all she wants. The evidence to the contrary is before us each and every day in our courts.

Leo Knight

leo@primetimecrime.com

The 'Thought Police' alive and well

Following today's appearance by former RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli it would seem that in today's Force, the buck, such as it is, doesn't stop anywhere.

Since I first wrote Are the winds of change blowing in Ottawa? I have received email messages from police officers across the country. The men and women at the sharp ends of things in the service of this country are in agreement that something drastically needs to change in the culture of today's RCMP.

One writer, I thought, was particularly poignant. I asked for and received permission to reprint his thoughts in this space as long as I witheld his name to protect his career. A sad statement in and of itself now isn't it? Here is his letter to me:

**********************************************************************

Much ink has been spilled with respect to recent and not so recent revelations of fraud, corruption, nepotism and cronyism at the most senior levels of the RCMP. Although it may have been received with some degree of shock by the Canadian public, it’s a fair bet to state that no regular or civilian member of the RCMP would have been surprised by these headlines.

The repercussions for the members who dared to speak out also came as no surprise. The words “culture of corruption” and “culture of vengeance”, attributed to members of parliament describing the RCMP, are all too fitting. Truer words have never been spoken. Any member, whether dealing with senior management or low level supervisors have undoubtedly felt the wrath for going against the grain and exposing improprieties. It is the ultimate sin! Truth be known, honesty and integrity are regularly discouraged and viewed with scorn. The Image of the Force is far more important.

There are many questions being asked by the public, by members and by members of parliament. How could this have been allowed to take place? Where are the checks and balances? Men and women in power will often give themselves tools to enhance their ability to rule and will often abuse these tools when situations arise which could affect their grip. The RCMP has given itself such a tool and they do not hesitate to use it.

The public, members of the RCMP and legislators should look no further than the RCMP Act. This powerful tool of intimidation, which contains the Code of Conduct, is the weapon of choice when attempting to silence members. It’s deliberately vaguely worded “catch all” sections, which permit senior management to make square pegs fit into round holes, can and do discipline members for exercising their S.2 Charter rights of freedom of thought, belief and expression. The fundamental freedoms that all Canadians enjoy are routinely denied to RCMP members. If my identity was known, I would be ordered to resign from the Force within 14 days or be dismissed. How’s that for freedom of expression?

As long as the Commissioner of the RCMP and the Senior Executive Committee are given absolute power, they will use it. And use it with a ruthlessness usually associated with totalitarian and dictatorial regimes. There is one way to solve this problem…let the members speak without the fear of reprisals. Repeal the sections of the RCMP Act that forbid criticism of the organization. A Royal Commission on the abuses endured by members of the RCMP would have Canadians glued to their televisions….that is why it will never happen.

The only reason the Image of the RCMP has continued to be a positive one is not because of the accomplishments of its membership, it’s because anything that has the possibility to tarnish its image, from within, is simply not permitted. Cover ups abound, members are silenced every day, threatened with disciplinary action or dismissed for having integrity. If anybody ever questioned just how serious the problem is, I would point to Deputy Commissioner Barb George’s recent statements indicating her misleading statements to a parliamentary committee are protected by parliamentary privilege. Thank you for thumbing your nose at our elected representatives Deputy Commissioner, you are a true model of the Mission, Vision and Values of the Force. The rot is not exclusive to Ottawa but is entrenched in every single Division across Canada.

Senior management has no fear because it controls everything. The Public Complaints Commission against the RCMP uses RCMP members to conduct their investigations and their findings are turned over to the Commissioner, who has the final say to accept or deny them. The Force’s internal investigations sections frequently have their strings pulled by the puppet masters at the top. Double standards abound. Interference and obstruction are standard operating procedure. Officers who conduct themselves in a disgraceful manner are routinely let off with nothing more than verbal reprimands while frontline members are fined, transferred, demoted, dismissed and ridiculed. It truly is good to be King!

Name witheld by request.

*****************************************************
A pretty damning condemnation of the status quo, wouldn't you say?

Leo Knight

leo@primetimecrime.com

A dubious decision

Every now and again a court renders a decision that would appear, for all intents and purposes, that the members of that court have lost whatever touch with the reality to which they might have, at one time, laid claim.

And then there's the Manitoba Court of Appeal and their incredible - no, unbelieveable - decision, as reported in the Winnipeg Free Press (Hells Angel allowed to chat with biker buddies, says high court), in the case of Hells Angel Shane Kirton who had pled guilty to an unprovoked, vicious assault on an unsuspecting bar patron. And not, I might add, his first go 'round with the law.

But, back to the decision at hand.

The Court of Appeal overturned the decision of Queen's Bench Justice Holly Beard to impose conditions on Kirton that he refrain from contact with his brother Hells Angels for the duration of his probation. Apparently, according to the Appeal Court, that condition infringes on his right to freedom of association guaranteed in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that the lower court should not have taken judicial notice that the Hells Angels are a criminal organization.

Chief Justice Richard Scott said, "It is hard to escape the conclusion that the sentencing judge was led astray by her preoccupation with the accused’s involvement with the Hells Angels.”

Oh? And why would she not? They have been found to be a criminal organization by superior courts in Ontario and British Columbia. The presumably well-read justices of the Manitoba Court of Appeal seem to have not read those decisions or a plethora of books written on the subject. There is simply no basis for them to assert that the lower court judge "could not" take judicial notice of that.

Equally, the Court of Appeal seemed to be fixated on the fact that the assault was committed when Kirton wasn't wearing his Hells Angels patch and therefore wasn't using his affiliation with the outlaw motorcycle gang in committing the assault. In doing so, the Court of Appeal demonstrated they have a profound lack of understanding of the Hells Angels.

Kirton was wearing clothing that clearly showed he was a member of the Hells Angels, who exist and further their individual criminal enterprises using intimidation fostered by an image which has been carefully cultivated. That the Manitoba Court of Appeal failed to recognize this demonstrates either their ignorance of reality or their complicity with, or corruption by, the biker gang.

The bottom line here is that the Hells Angels have been determined to be a criminal enterprise in BC and Ontario by superior, not provincial, courts. Gangsterism prosecutions have been filed across the country. To suggest that a convicted member of the Hells Angels, on probation, should not be limited in communication with other members of an ongoing criminal enterprise is blatently stupid or utterly corrupt.

There is no other possibility that I can see. I wonder which it is.

Leo Knight

primetimecrime.com

Are the winds of change blowing in Ottawa?

For your outstanding leadership abilities, your commitment to the advancement of women in Canadian policing, and for your dedication to the effective delivery and management of human resources, wherein you have become an influential role model for all police officers. - 2006 Order of Merit of the Police Forces citation given to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Barbara George

The trouble with awards is that once given, they cannot be easily taken back. The other problem with national awards is that they are seldom given to those who actually deserve them. Too often they are given for political reasons, to individuals who just happen to be in a certain position or to members of the bureaucracy who tend to exercise some control on these things.

Barbara George was just another senior level bureaucrat when the Governor General pinned the award on her chest. What had she really done to deserve it? Difficult to say. She spent a career being a carpet cop and wouldn't have the faintest idea what a real cop does for a living let alone being a "role model" for anything other than a bureaucrat wanting to climb the greasy pole in a federal government ministry.

Do I sound disparaging of the now suspended Deputy Commissioner Barbara George? Sorry, I don't mean to. But, right after she was suspended by interim Comissioner Bev Busson following the testimony of several RCMP officers before the Public Accounts Committee concerning abuses of the Mounties' pension fund and their attempts to get light shed on the subject, the Mounties distanced themselves from her pronto.

George herself testified that neither she nor former Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli had anything to do with hindering the investigation. Testimony supported by phone call recordings and other corroboration seemed to dispute that position. The Mounties outlined an atmosphere of corruption and condonation of corruption permeating the highest ranks.

Shortly after George was suspended, the RCMP erased any reference to her on their website. It was blindingly fast. Fortunately, the internet is a powerful tool and much could still be located. A review of her career highlights shows she was nothing more than a carpet cop. And therin lies the answer to all of this.

In 1984 the RCMP was politicized and the Comissioner was made a Deputy Minister with all of the political realities that entailed. In reality, the RCMP has become yet another moribund political bureaucracy.

This is not to belittle the hard-working members at the sharp end of things. No, not in the least. When I joined the RCMP two years after its centennial celebrations, I was given a quick education into the Force by a senior member. He explained the machinations of the Force as "A hundred and two years of tradition unhampered by progress."

And that brings us full-circle to the scandal plaguing the RCMP that led to the suspension of Deputy Commissioner Barbara George. Throughout the 90's and the the first part of the new century, the Liberal Party of Canada created a culture of those who were "entitled to their entitlements" among the bureaucracy. Why should the RCMP be any different?

Well, the reality was they weren't as evidenced by the misappropriation of money from the pension fund by the carpet cops mired in the bureaucracy.

When members of the Force tried to raise concerns about the Pension Fund, the carpet cops shined them on, neutralized them by transfer or completely marginalized them. This is tried and true tactics by the carpet cops. Ask Bob Stenhouse or Robert Read. They have both been victimized by that culture.

Well, that corrupt culture has now been laid bare to the Public Accounts Committee. A senior carpet cop has been suspended. It remains to be seen if the price to be paid is real or mere window dressing and it is business as usual at Headquarters in Ottawa.

The RCMP should use this period in their history to reinvent themselves in their role as the national police force. And, what is now 134 years of tradition needs to finally see some progress.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com

Time to go

The job of Chief Constable of a modern police service is a difficult one. The occupier of the office has to be one part politician, one part police officer and one part masochist. In Calgary, it would seem, that Chief Constable Jack Beaton has managed to get and keep the top job without any of the required skills.

Having met Beaton, I am pretty sure he is not an idiot. So, why does he keep doing and saying such idiotic things?

Without delving too deeply into it, let’s take a peek at the past few days.

The Calgary Police Association this past week released the results of a poll of its members which said, in a nutshell, that the rank and file had no confidence in the leadership of the Calgary Police Service and that the vast majority wanted a new chief to be recruited from outside the service.

Pretty stunning stuff really. Beaton has been, frankly, an embarrassment to the taxpayers of Calgary with some of the idiotic things he has said publicly. Where to start? Hmm…well there was the lunacy he spouted about not thinking that police officers in China wouldn’t be able to speak English He apparently found out this little gem of the incredibly obvious when he was in China on an indefensible junket. . . sorry, recruiting drive.. I mean really. . . .if you actually thought that and found out the reality when you went there, would you admit how stupid you were publicly? Jack Beaton did.

The reality is that, regardless of what the latest garden gnome put forward by the police commission to try and defend their ridiculous decision to extend Beaton’s contract in 2005, Beaton has lost (if he ever had) the confidence of the rank and file membership of the Calgary Police Service.

Without the buy-in of those at the sharp end of things, no purported leader can be effective. Beaton clearly has not got that confidence. He has said he will leave when his current contract expires in December. So, he is now a lame duck. And an unrespected lame duck to be exact.

Why, in the face of that, will he not resign? Most involved in the police service have no confidence in him. How and why would any leader who does not have the support and confidence of his troops think they can and should remain in their position?

It really is a mystery. But then given everything that has transpired demonstrating how ineffectual a leader Beaton has been, I suppose it really isn’t surprising.

Beaton has proven himself to be nothing more that a small-minded man who cannot tolerate any criticism. Even though that criticism is well-deserved. He is of little consequence. The proud men and women who serve the citizens of Calgary have no confidence in Jack Beaton. Period. So, why is he still there?

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Reality at odds with picture being painted

Any job in emergency services is tough enough without being obstructed by another branch. But the more I dig into the bizarre St. Patrick's Day (night) incident in downtown Vancouver involving members of the Vancouver Fire Department in conflict with the police, the more troubled I become.

Firemen are heroes aren't they? That's the image of them rescuing people from burning buildings and all that stuff. Well, it's true, sometimes they are heroes. And sometimes they die trying to do their job. But, for the most part their job is routine, mundane and relatively unskilled. It doesn't take big balls to polish the chrome on a fire truck.

The police have an inside joke about firefighters, with the saying: “there are only two jobs in the world you can earn money in bed.” And from a cop's perspective out in the mean streets, slugging it out with the drunks, meth heads, crack heads and other denizens of the dark, that can be a little frustrating. But, when a cop just doing his job, winds up slugging it out with an allegedly drunk off-duty firefighter and finds himself put at risk by the other attending emergency service workers, well, that's entirely unacceptable.

Yet, that is apparently what happened on St. Paddy's Day in Vancouver. But, never mind the actions of the allegedly drunken off-duty fireman and his yapping whelp, it is the actions of the on-duty firemen at the scene I have a bigger problem with.

The alleged drunks were in a car that drove into a building. The Fire Department were the first on the scene as is usual in traffic accidents. But, apparently they quickly determined it was one of their own who would likely be in the jackpot. The police believe that the off duty fireman and his son weren't passengers in the car, but one of them was driving, and I am not sure which at this point, and the female being portrayed as the driver is a set-up by the firemen attending. Which, if true, is obstruction of justice as defined in the criminal code.

This would seem to be the premise the investigating officer was acting upon when he was told to "F**** Off!" by Grant Mason, the off duty fireman's lippy son. Curtis Mason, the Elder, then waded into the confrontation and the situation went from 0 to 60 in record time. A push, a shove, a F*** you and pretty soon everyone is rolling on the ground.

It was at this point, it would seem, the firefighters strove to make their reputation as zeros, not heroes. They encircled the cops struggling to get control of the out-of-control Masons, as vividly depicted on YouTube. What might have happened if one of the fighting Masons had grabbed the pistol of one the young officers and shot him? Would the on duty firemen have been looking at being charged as parties to the offence?

To make it all worse, the firemen were asked to provide statements relative to what they witnessed. They all said they didn't see anything, that they were loading their truck or some such nonsense. The VPD Sgt. on scene told them in no uncertain terms that there would be some very unpleasant consequences if they didn't get their pens out sharpish.

They did, ultimately, I'm told. But they need not have bothered. Three liners as statements are not much help. One even wrote, according to my source, that he felt bad for not helping his colleague in the fight with police.

The VFD spokesman Capt. Rob Jones Cook was spouting off in the media trying to spin the negative optics after the story broke on Monday. And what a load of rubbish he was spouting too. I wonder how he'll spin this?

The police are often in the media crosshairs while the firefighters can do no wrong. The reality is often very different from that perception.

Obstruction of a peace officer in the execution of his duty is a serious criminal code offence. And, if the actions of members of the Vancouver Fire Department were as described, and I have no reason to disbelieve my sources or the civilian witnesses who corroborate police statements, then the Vancouver taxpayers deserve an explanation from their fire service, not gums flapping from a spin doctor. Or a stage-managed press conference which didn’t address the facts of the situation.

Former prosecutor, former Police Complaints Commissioner and now not-seldom-enough-heard-from lawyer, Don Morrison, has said he may sue the police in this case. Marvelous! For under oath, the truth will out. And the truth, in my view, is not what you heard at the press conference yesterday.

Leo Knight
primetimecrim@gmail.com

A crass act

One wonders if a more disingenuous press conference has been held in recent memory than the one held by lawyer Don Morrison and his “victim” clients, Vancouver firefighter Curtis Mason and his smarmy son, Grant.

Yup, butter wouldn’t melt in that kid’s mouth now would it?

The Masons were in front of the cameras claiming they were just minding their own business when members of the Vancouver Police Department jumped them. The video clip posted to YouTube by a Seattle resident clearly shows a different picture.

In the video, we see three police officers engaged in what is called ground fighting with two men. And the fight is truly on. One of the individuals was fighting back against two VPD members and the other was one on one. The one on one battle is clearly going badly for the officer as they roll over a couple of times and the bad guy seems to be gaining the upper hand when Sgt. Keiron McConnell shows up and smacks the bad guy twice with his baton and helps the struggling officer gain control and hand cuff the offender.

Also in the picture are a few firemen just standing around looking on. They had been on the scene because the Masons were in a traffic collision with a building. Were they intoxicated? Late on Saint Paddy’s Day? Perish the thought according to the Masons.

When the police showed up, Mason the Younger allegedly pushed one of the officers trying to establish a cause for the collision where a vehicle hit a building. Late on Saint Patrick’s Day. Hmmm . . . what could he have been looking for as a contributing factor?

Apparently Mason the Younger didn’t like the concept of a police officer doing his job. Well, when push comes to shove, pushing a police officer is going to elicit a response that may, oddly enough, be a little unpleasant.

More often than not, it will result in you being put on the ground in a not so polite manner and being placed in handcuffs. You see, there is even a specific section of the Criminal Code that says you should not assault a police officer in the execution of his duty.

Now of course, the sanctimonious Masons did no such thing according to their statements at the press conference. No indeed, even when told of the independent civilian witness whose statement corroborates the version of events presented by the police. In fact, according to another witness, Mason the Younger got into it with a 60 year old man at the scene of the collision. Brave young man that he is.

But what this is really all about is the rule of law and order that the police maintain every day. When that rule is challenged, the police must meet that challenge. When an officer is investigating an incident which may have criminal behaviour associated to it and gets obstructed or assaulted by someone trying to obstruct the investigation, the officer has the responsibility to society to respond to that by way of arrest and charge.

We live by the rule of law and order. Challenging those who enforce that rule ought to be met with severe consequences. The Fireman and his yappy kid should have learned that lesson when their faces hit the concrete and the handcuffs were slapped on them. Given the nonsense they spit out in the presser yesterday, it is clear they didn’t.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

A F***ing travesty!

The aquittal in BC Supreme Court yesterday of Hells Angel Glen Jonathan Hehn is outrageous. Justice Peter Leask further outraged the public by using profanity during the closing arguments of prosecutor Ernie Froess. And not just profanity. He chose to defy logic when doing so.

Froess submitted that the locker where a large amount of cocaine was located had been rented by the accused, Leask said: "But to be really clear, he'd have had to have been out of his f. . .in' mind to store it in his own locker, all right? I mean, that's for sure he wouldn't do that. Let's not spend any time on that theory."

Theory? One has to ask if Leask is out of his mind. Or perhaps someone got to him in a different way? Perhaps a suggestion was made to Mr. Justice Leask that caused him to defy logic in what should have been an air-tight case?

I don't know and can only guess what caused Leask to acquit in this case. Whatever it was though, it resulted in a f***ing travesty of justice.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Stop the Presses!

While I'm sympathetic to the media following the Pickton trial, I have to say the lead story today was probably as lame as any I have seen in the last 25 years. To write a line story saying that there were more suspects in the Missing Women case than Willy Pickton and his brother Dave is well, to master the incredibly obvious.

This is news?

While I would never argue that what passes for journalism these days is remotely similar to the lessons I learned as a copy boy in the news room of the Montreal Star in the early '70s, one would at least hope that a story saying the police investigated all possible leads in a massive serial killer file is, well, not news.

That's what they do. Dave Pickton had access to the farm where all the DNA and body parts were found. Was he a suspect? Duh! Does he remain a suspect? Duh!

Dave Pickton is an aquaintaince of some nefarious people. Is that an aspect of the investigation? Duh!

C'mon folks. A lot of bad shit happened on that property. We know this because the DNA of over 20 women who were reported missing was found there. Is it not likely that the investsigation that has consumed millions of taxpayer dollars in police resources may have focussed on more than one person a reality or likelihood?

There's a lot of aspects of this case as yet unreported. One would hope the editors of the mainstream media would understand this and not make routine police work the story. Well, one would hope.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Unrevising History

A reader, a retired Calgary police officer, wrote to correct something I had said about outgoing Calgary Chief Jack Beaton.

Somehow the word had gotten out in the flurry of news pieces about Beaton announcing his decision not to seek a contract extension, that he had been Calgary's longest serving Chief Constable. I got the information from a column written by the always entertaining Licia Corbella of the Calgary Sun. The information, wherever it came from initially, is inaccurate.

Chief Brian Sawyer, who served from 1973 to 1984 and by all accounts was a good one, served much longer. He came from the Mounties in Victoria to take the top job. It was he who brought in such crime prevention initatives such as Crime Stoppers and Blockwatch. Sawyer retired from the police in 1984 and went on to become the provincial Ombudsman.

But there are a few others who held the office longer than Beaton too. Chief Samual Patterson served for nine years from 1941 - 1950 and Chief Lawrence Partridge served from 1952 to 1964 and probably brought about the most change to the Service than any other before or since. And those are the modern day chiefs who served in the office longer than Beaton.

Thomas English served from 1891 to 1909 as Chief Constable of the fledgling police service. But the longest serving Chief was David Ritchie who held the office from 1919 to 1941. Ritchie was a decorated war hero when he took the top job and held it until his last days when he died having a gall bladder operation. He held the office for 22 years and is claimed to be the father of the modern day Calgary Police Service.

Whatever else history may say about Jack Beaton's tenure as Chief Constable, he was not the longest servicng person in that office. And on that point alone, I stand corrected.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

The King is Dead. . . Long Live the King

The Chief Constable of the Calgary Police Service, Jack Beaton, has served notice that he will not seek an extension of his contract and will retire as of December this year when his current deal expires.

Big deal.

Jack Beaton has been an ineffectual Chief and his departure announcement underlines that. We now have to bear witness to eight or so months of a lame-duck leadership after seven years of a lame-brained regime.

After several months of Beaton musing out loud, indicating to all who'd listen, that he was open to a contract extension and being deafened by the silence, he has now announced his retirement. But not without talking about his availability for other potential Chief's jobs. Sorry Jack, no takers.

Since being appointed Chief Constable of the Calgary Police Service, Jack Beaton has been a resolute failure in my opinion. He claims successes such as G-8 but frankly that's nonsense. G-8 in Kannaskis was the end result of a lot of pre-planning by the RCMP, CSIS, the Armed Forces, private security and the Calgary Police Service. Yes, CPS had a role, but frankly the role was limited as the main action was an hour west of the city.

Having said that, I did think their tactical, rapid response of CPS members on the 8th Ave. mall at the McDonald's restaurant was poetry in motion. Some of the more radical elements of the looney left tried to do a "takeover" by moving quickly from the main protest group and we're thwarted by the CPS Bike Squad so they were unable to stage their planned inanity. But what, exactly the Chief could claim as his own from that, is negligible, if anything at all.

Just a few days before he announced his delayed but inevitable departure, the Calgary Police Association put out a survey to its members. In and of itself, that's not particularly unusual.

After all, their last survey was a year and a half ago. That survey yielded a staggering 75% disapproval rating in "senior management" of the Calgary Police Service.

But this survey is extraordinary. There are only four questions. The first of which is very telling: "Do you have confidence in Jack Beaton as Chief of Police?"

But what is more telling is the cover letter addressed to the members of the Calgary Police Service. In it, the Association President, Al Koenig writes: "Historically, there have been security issues surrounding the use of internal mail systems and we have been made aware that email sent via the CPS system to CPA offices as having been intercepted and therefore security as well as anonymity could not be guaranteed."

While union rhetoric is expected, this is much more. It is, essentially, an allegation of illegal activity made by way of an instruction to its members. And it is made in such a way as to accept that the illegal activity is de rigeur.

Given that Beaton used an Anton Pillar order (a civil search warrant) to try and find out who was behind a web site critical of his leadership - or lack thereof as the case may be - this distrust is much more than union rhetoric.

So much so, that I asked a Calgary police officer what the mood was like in the department since Beaton's announcement. The response was: "He needs to be gone a lot sooner. Jack can create a lot of carnage in the 8 months or so he has left, and he is vindictive and egotistical enough to do so."

Beaton will have been Chief Constable for seven years when he retires in December, the longest serving Chief in Calgary's history. But that won't be the only thing that defines his legacy. He altered the hand-positioning in the salute offered by members of the Calgary Police Service to superior officers by 90 degrees. Good to know he had some kind of lasting effect.

Beyond that, there's not much. So, why is he hanging around for another eight months?

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Irony apparently lost on lawyer

Regular Hells Angel lawyer Greg DelBigio is really stretching the bounds of credulity with his latest argument in defense of Ronaldo Lising.

Lising's latest arrest came in the Mountie's Project EPandora. DelBigio has been doing his level best to get the charges against his client tossed. And fair enough, that's his job. But, the irony of his latest tack seems lost on him.

Lising, incidently, is currently serving time for his conspiracy conviction arising out of VPD's Project Nova back in the mid - 90's. He was sentenced back in 2001 for his role in that case and fought his conviction and sentencing at every step until he finally ran out of legal options and had to go to jail.

It was while he was out on bail going thorough his legal gymnastics that he got caught up in EPandora. And now we hear DelBigio trying to get the charges tossed because he claims an agent used by the RCMP put the public in danger. The agent, Michael Plante, infiltrated the Hells Angels and in doing so had to commit crimes.

In closing arguments, DelBigio said, "The police were under a duty to ensure that the community was not endangered through Michael Plante's actions and yet the community was in danger."

Come on Greg. Are you serious? The agent has to commit crimes to get cosy with your client and his pals. What, pray tell, does that suggest about your clients?

The phrase "in defense of the indefensible" comes to mind.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Gratuitious violence unnerving

For over 30 years that I've been around policing and crime news, I have become inured to violence and man's inhumanity to his fellow man. I don't like to think that I have become any less caring as a result, but certainly I don't get shocked, for the most part, by the violence inherent in our world today.

Even the daily horrors being described in the trial of Robert "Willy" Pickton haven't managed to shock me. Now, to be fair, we have known for years what to expect out of the Pickton trial just by being able to read between the lines with what has been published since he was arrested five years ago. With all the discussions about the finding of victim DNA we pretty much knew the likelihood of the type of details we are now hearing, so I'm not sure I understand what the current fuss is about in the debate over the way the media is reporting on the trial.

But, having said all of that, I've been following the trial in Edmonton of two men accused of killing 13 year old Nina Louise Courtepatte in the spring of 2005.

Courtepatte's broken, battered and abused body was found on the fourth fairway of the Edmonton Springs golf course in Spruce Grove, Alberta. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma. The autopsy report also noted she was sexually assaulted. Just from that depiction, we knew that nothing good happened that night on the golf course.

But, starting from the agreed upon Statement of Facts introduced on the first day of the trial last week and with each new day listening to new evidence from witnesses as the prosecution paints the picture of what happened to that poor girl, the true horror of her last moments on Earth is becoming known and has even shocked this cynical ex-cop.

The latest account given by a juvenile, female participant in the torture and killing of young Nina, was provided in a story that ran in the Edmonton Sun yesterday under the headline Diary of a Killing. It made my blood run cold.

We have seen many cases over the years where gratuitous teenaged violence has shocked, horrified and grabbed the attention of the nation's media. The tragic case of Reena Virk comes to mind. But, even as horrible as that whole episode was including the many trials of the truly evil Kelly Ellard, to me it doesn't rate for brutality, senseless violence and absolute disdain for human life demonstrated by the killers of Nina Courtepatte.

And for all that, what really surprises me is that the story, so far, has only been predominantly regional. For some reason the national media hasn't picked up on it in spite of the fact the victim was aboriginal which would ordinarily be a magnet. Certainly they are captivated by the trial of an alleged serial killer in Vancouver, but that still doesn't explain the lack of coverage to me.

Is it possible the media brains have decided that Canadians can only stomach so much gruesome news with their evening repast? Possibly, but I wouldn't give them that much credit.

Unfortunately, I believe the average Canadian needs to be shocked out of their stupor when it comes to screaming for something to be done about the crime problem in this country and the need for our politicians to actually get engaged in the debate about the real issues of crime and youth violence. The brutal, senseless killing of an innocent 13 year old girl on a golf course outside of Edmonton has the ability to shock Canadians out of that stupor. Unfortunately, the national media isn't paying attention.

Leo Knight
primetimecrime@gmail.com

Flight path to Haiti blocked by liberal thinking

For a clear example about how screwed up this country is, look no further than the top two stories on today's Prime Time Crime.

The first story is from the Washington Post and tells of a new border security initiative from the Canadian government that will cost $368 million over five years. Well, that's great. Five years after September 11 and someone finally made a decision to improve the security on our porous border.

Yet, right under that good news story, there is a piece from the Globe & Mail that defies all logic.

Canada won't deport a hardened criminal, a gang-banger, pimp and all-around piece of dog crap because something bad "might" happen to him in Haiti. So, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day announces that we are going to invest in protecting our borders but we can't toss out an immigrant who has not led a productive life for a minute since he's been in this country? What's wrong with that picture?

As former Vancouver police officer Bob Cooper said, "What good does it do to spend millions of dollars on new fences and not fix the gaping holes in the existing ones?"

What good indeed?

The saga of Jean-Yves Brutus, a Haitian born immigrant in Montreal, epitomizes the problem with the wolly-headed thinking in this country. Brutus has been a member of a Haitian street gang in Montreal called Crack Down Posse. They engage in drug dealing, pimping, assaults and murder. Nice folks.

He has been back and forth through the revolving door of justice all of his adult life. Four years ago an Immigration and Refugee Board adjudicator finally told Brutus this country had had enough of him. But something calle a "pre-removal risk assessment" put an end to that idea.

Cooper teed off on the subject in an email to me earlier. I'd thought I'd share it with you.

Leo Knight

leo@primetimecrime.com

*****************************

Mr. Brutus has been given the opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity that millions of less fortunate people the world over would risk life and limb for, but never attain. An opportunity to start life over again in a secure, peaceful country with boundless opportunities.

Does he count his blessings, change his ways and perhaps contribute to society by getting a job and paying taxes? Of course not. He leaves that sort of drudgery to suckers like us.

He makes his living off violent crime and the misery of others. He takes our daughters and turns them into whores so he can beat, rape and rob them.

In other words, he spits in Canada’s face and continues to do so every time he is arrested and allowed to stay here. We all stand there like typical liberal dopes, wipe the spit off our face and remind Mr. Brutus that the rules apply to him as well. He is admonished and told that if he keeps getting arrested then one day a judge will become very cross and perhaps send him to jail. Remote chance? Yes, but possible. He’s already learned that no matter what he does, we won’t send him back to Haiti.

Why? Because some reports say that those repatriated with criminal records are often mistreated. I rather suspect that just as often, if not more, they are not.

Given what I know of Haiti, the Jean-Yves Brutus’ of the world do quite well there. Granted, he would face more risks there over the long term than he would from our system here.

And guess what? I know this will sound politically incorrect, but I don’t give a rat’s ass. And you know what else? I’ll bet if Canadians were polled on this right now, the majority couldn’t give a rat’s ass either.

The only pre-removal risk assessment that should be required is a weather check on the flight path to Haiti.

Personally, I wouldn’t care if they blew Mr. Butus’ head off on the tarmac. I, for one, am tired of wiping the spit of the world’s criminals off my face while my taxes support them and pay for their lawyers.

This government has a lot of work to do and this would be a good place to start. And Mr. Day, if the government is a little short on the price of a one-way ticket to Haiti, I’d be glad to help out. Just let me know how much and where to send the cheque.

Bob Cooper.

Richmond, BC

Server problems

Many of you may have noticed that the front page hasn't changed today. Well, that is because our soon to be ex-web hosting service has server problems and seems to feel that 24 hrs is a suitable time frame to have it fixed.

I apologize for their poor service and will endeavour to be back online as soon as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com

Surprise over Israeli attack plans a surprise

The Sunday Times story about Israel having a plan to use low-yield nuclear devices against the Iranian nuclear production facilities generated headlines expressing horror around the world today. But really, wouldn't it surprise you more if Israel didn't have plans to eradicate Iran's nuclear production program?

The former terrorist who is now the President of Iran, has been crowing about their nuclear capability for months now. When he does that in the same breath as he vows the state of Israel should not exist, well, how would anyone expect Israel to react?

Born of war and depending on its ability to fight off those who would rather see its demise, Israel has long said it would take whatever steps it deemed necessary to ensure its survival as a nation state. If that includes a proactive nuclear strike, well then that is precisely what they will do. The only real surprise is that anyone seems shocked by the story.

The mullahs and their devotees have been spoiling for this fight for years. The rocket incursions by Hezbollah last summer were little more than a measuring stick to guage Israel's stomach for a fight and how the observing world would react. Predictably, the mainstream media, the Eurocrats and the UN fell all over themselves to condemn Israel for fighting back.

The mullahs are betting that Israel won't do anything like stage a preemptive attack on their nuclear facilities for fear of again suffering the withering condemnation of western intelligentsia.

I'm not sure I'd make that bet were I them. If nothing else, Israel has shown over the years that it is prepared to go it alone in their struggle to survive and they have the balls to do whatever it takes.

They will in this too.

Leo Knight
leo@primetimecrime.com