Pubdate: Sat, 26 May 2007 Source: Observer, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2007, OSPREY Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.theobserver.ca Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1676 Author: Stephen Marsh Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n637/a01.html Fax: (519)332-2951 Copyright: 2007, OSPREY Media Group Inc. PERSPECTIVE LOST ON LAW AND ORDER Sir: Re: Headline, "Search goes to Supreme Court" (The Observer, May 22, 2007) It is appalling and almost unbelievable to read that we are spending any taxpayers' dollars in our court system to determine if our law enforcement officers infringed on the rights of an alleged drug-possessing criminal in one of our local schools. To think that we would allow the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, an alleged criminal and their lawyers to use the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a shield for contravention of the law that protects Canadians from criminals is evidence that we have lost all perspective regarding law and order. Why should we protect someone who allegedly takes drugs into our schools? I guess this means that the Canadian Civil Liberties Association encourages criminals to take drugs or other illegal items into our schools. What a great service they are providing to our children and society. They should be ashamed of themselves. We have laws in this country and law-abiding citizens deserve and pay for our law enforcement officers to protect our public places from such criminals. If our courts do not uphold the rights of our law enforcement officers to keep our schools and other public places free of drugs, then it will be alright for criminals to take guns into our schools as well. We need to call upon our lawmakers in Ottawa to take a stand for the rights of citizens who respect the law and to stand behind our police officers and customs officers who take the initiative to find drugs and guns and other contraband before people get hurt by them. The laws in this country, including the Charter, should not be distorted to the point that law enforcement officers are rendered incapable of enforcing the law (precisely their job!) in our public places. This is not about "police power;" it's about upholding the law to protect society from criminals. Stephen Marsh, Sarnia - --- MAP posted-by: Derek