Pubdate: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 Source: Cold Lake Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 The Cold Lake Sun Contact: http://www.coldlakesun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1421 Author: Raymon Picco POLICE DESERVE MORE POWER Cold Lake Sun -- Unlike the weak-kneed politicians who actually vote on our laws, three of Canada's cops are showing considerable backbone by suggesting their forces be granted immunity from breaking some laws if they're going to do the job properly. Over the past five years Toronto police chief Julian Fantino, Winnipeg chief Jack Ewatski and RCMP Commissioner Guiliano Zaccardelli have twice appeared before the House of Commons justice committee to strongly endorse a proposed amendment to existing anti-gang legislation that would allow police to break the law. The chiefs claim that ever since 1999, when a Supreme Court ruling severely curtailed their powers, they've been handcuffed in trying to keep a lid on organized crime, ranging from biker gangs to drug dealers. "We need the tools to do the job...and not be hung up on the notion that if you give police more powers all of a sudden there will be abuses," Fantino has told the committee. Naturally, there's been an overflow of self-righteous posturing by various MPs ever since the 1970's when Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe dredged up sensationalized images of RCMP wrongdoing to infiltrate the separatist movement. Enough whining and snivelling, already. The bottom line is that it's necessary to break eggs to make omelets--just as it is necessary for the police to occasionally overstep their boundaries in order to enforce the law. Over-zealous cops will never be nearly as big a threat to our society as the drug dealers, perverts and crime lords who get off scot free under our current judicial system. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh