Editor:
The letter to the editor by Marjorie R. Bridge RCMP Criticized in the Jan. 13 Outlook must have been written in haste.
Why would anyone be “appalled” when the RCMP do their job? By all accounts, the victim was the author of the action police took. Is it not their job to protect citizens from potential harm?
It is totally irrelevant to the outcome that the gun the gentleman had in his possession was a toy. Anyone with police or military training have, for all time, reacted the same as our RCMP officers did Jan. 10 on Railway Avenue. They do not and should not let the gunman take the first shot.
The RCMP, to uphold their duty as protectors of public civility and trust, must act at all times in a controlled and orderly fashion. They must know by now that their personal actions are as easily recorded as is the public who have cameras trained on them – street corner and trail-head. There’s not much anyone can do today that escapes scrutiny.
Earlier this month, two burly Kelowna B.C. RCMP constables were in control of a 51-year-old alleged gun toting Buddy Traveres, but video of the police takedown of Traveres indicate with reasonable clarity an attending RCMP officer booting Mr. Tavares in the head.
If that video had shown Mr. Traveres kicking another human, or the neighbour’s dog in the head or anywhere else, he would have immediately been charged. arrested and eventually nailed with a criminal assault charge of some type. He would have likely spent time in jail waiting for the mess to be sorted out and, if proven guilty, gone right back to jail.
Public support for Canada’s police force goes further in the hole each time they are caught abusing their position and this incident appears to be another example of police abusing their trust and authority.
As supportive as I am of the RCMP, I’m shocked when these things occur and end up slashed across the media, around the world.
Most people I speak to are as well. Most galling though, is why an RCMP officer or any other person in authority is entitled to suspension with pay as a result of obvious criminal actions. It is the perfect government-supported travesty.
To put this entire incident right in the public mind this officer must be dismissed from the force – but only if he is found guilty of the assault. He should also be required to return to the Canadian taxpayer the money given him during his “paid suspension”.
Most decent people do not support criminal activity of any kind – by anyone, and we should not pay criminals for their bad deeds. Any outcome short of this and we’ll truly have something to be “appalled” about.
Alvin Shier,
Canmore
