The end of April is now upon us and we still have not heard a peep from the New Westminster Police concerning the Port Moody Police. If you have followed our blog, you may recall that we revealed that the Port Moody Police were not following proper procedures in calibrating Approved Screening Devices. We gave this information to the media, and the New Westminster Police were brought in to conduct an investigation.
As far as we were concerned, it should have taken no more than 30 minutes to sort the matter out. But that would have required an admission of the error right away while the story was still hot. And they may have needed months to work on their public relations media misdirection plan. In any event, reporters told us that the police forces would make public their findings in April.
Bearing in mind that we revealed this information in October 2011, the delay for a report is unconscionable. As far as we are concerned, this is now a cover up. If any information is ever released, they will try to bury the matter by releasing it on a Friday afternoon — a standard tactic used by the Government and police to miss publication deadlines and consequently avoid or reduce public scrutiny of their actions.
As well, being that it is the end of April, the Government has less than one month to introduce, debate and pass the legislation to bring back “Fail” Immediate Roadside Prohibitions (IRPs) so that the legislation somehow complies with the November 30, 2011 Sivia ruling.
How will they do this? Well, they have concocted a crafty media strategy. First, they will try to fill the news with misinformation to suggest that it was all good — the unconstitutional law saved a bunch of lives, and that their apparatus to deal with these cases without relying on the Courts and with no Charter Rights is, nevertheless, fairer than fair. Second, they will try to besmirch any person or class of person who would think to question their scheme. Of course, they will suggest only drunks and lawyers would question the wisdom of the Government.
Now, if you are happy living in a society where the police never need to account for their behaviour, and you have no opportunity to challenge the evidence of your accuser, and you do not mind relinquishing your legal rights and freedoms, then you are the ideal citizen of our Government. If, however, fairness is part of your DNA, you may soon realize that British Columbia is no longer a place you can feel safe.
With the IRP scheme the Government and the police have been working to strip you of your legal rights. This was not the first move in this direction. But it is a gigantic step.