NOW, I don’t want to beat the issue to death, but the situation with B.C.’s auxiliary and reserve policig pro- grams is beginning to get more and more bizarre. . Last week we discussed ar: interview with Ujjal Dosanjh which did absolurely nothing to clear up the confusion sur- rounding the decision to dis- arm the auxiliaries and reserves. Essentially, all I could determine was there were “public safety concerns” brought to the attorney gen- eral by the police and a mys- terious steering committee struck to examine the role of auxiliaries and reserves in B.C. The specific nature of those concerns seemed to be completely unknown to the AG, as was the identity of anyone attached to the steer- ing committee. In the intervening days benveen last week's column and this writing, I have had’ the opporwunity to speak with Barbara Murphy, the Auxiliary/Reserve Program Director tor the Police Services branch of the attor- ney general's ministry. Tn diametric opposition to the bafflegab emanating from Dosanjh and Thompson, Murphy was relatively open and engaging in the two interviews I did with her. This doesn’t of course mean that I-am any closer to undérstanding the rezsons for the decision. Murphy described con- cerns she had about the issue of volunteer police officers carrying weapons. Fair enough. But I was still icit , unclear about why the deci- sion was apparently macie pre- matuicly in advance of the mailbox _ A i A warning for N. Yan pot thief Dear Editor: I am writing to you, hoping that the person(s) who stole from me wili read this. | have lived .in the. Westview area for over two: years and thought of it ax a nice neigh- borhood. Now I’m beginning to think differently. In the past two months I have had a few different item: stolen from outside of my house, the latest being an oversized planting _ pot. Obviously, the person who took this couldn’t afford to buy one themselves and decided that mine was what they were looking for. Surc it’s just a plant pot, and sure I wasn’t using it, but the point is, that it’s mine, not yours. : J just want to ask this per- son, “What are you going to steal next from me, my garbage can?” And if I happen to see this item on your property, don’t think that I won’r knock on your door and say «omething before I rake it back, because I will. And trust me it won't be a pleasant visit! Pauia Carter North Vancouver crime end penishment report from the steering com- mittee, due wi September. Murphy, a lawyer from Manitoba, was appointed as program director last June. She was faced with running a program she knew little about. She set about trying to update policies and clarify the role of the program partici- pants. In the course of this, a decision was made to strike a committee to conduct a “Review of B.C.’s Auxiliary/Reserve Constable Program.” The terms of reterence for the committee, struck in February, include to cxamine and determine the appropriate role of auxiliary/ reserve offi- cers as well as examining sian- dards for recruitment, train- ing, retraining and re-certifi- cation. But central to the commit- tee’s function seems to be funding and liability. Issues at the heart of most NDP pro- grams these days. Now it should be noted the AG contributed just $400,000 to fund the auxil- iary program fast-year. Less than a tenth of what Joy MacPhail has spent in adver- using to convince us she was- n’t lying in this year’s budget which only claimed an operat- ing deficit of $95 million. Members of the commit- tee include a representative of the AG — Kevin Begg, Director Police Services — a representative of the Commanding Officer of the RCMP, and a representative of the B.C. Municipal Chiets of Police. Ostensibly, the connpnirtee is supposed to consult. vari- ety of “stakeholders,” inelud- ing the participants in the program, the B.C. Federation of Police Officers — an amai- gamation of police unions- and the Union of BC “unic'palities (UBCAL. While I'm sure these vari- ous Grganizations will be con- sulted in time, this committee has only begun to perferm its functions. Yer, on April 3, six meaths before the first report is duc from the committee, the AG announced the toral disarma- ment of the province's auxil- iaries. According to the AG this is because of “public safety concerns.” Now, P'm sure the AG means well, he usually does when he is misguided, which seems to be most of the time. But I can’t find anv examples of the so-called “public safety concerns.” The only ins*1nce I can find of an auxiliary o“Scer dis- charging his weapon in the course of his duty occurred in 1995 in North Varcouver in an incident with a stolen car. The suspects attempted to run over the auxiliary’s regu- lar member partner. The ax- iliary fired several shots, stop- ping the stolen vehicle, and the suspects were arrested. The auxiliary was deenied “Justified” in his use of his weapon in the circumstances. So despite the hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours provided aiinually by auxil- iaries and the countless num- bers ‘of dangerous incidents they are involved in, there was only one incident of an auxil- jary using his weapon and that deemed justified. The whoie program wes then dis- S.Laursen & Son Draperies and Blinds Ltd. Serving the Lower Ma | Eng ¢: 5 SZ | Another one of our designs. For Free Estimate call 922-4975 or 987-2966 (Ask about our Seniors Discount) Labour $12.50 per panel unlined, $15.50 lined. Custom Rods, Upholstery & Bedspreads Low Low Prices 8 Auto, -© Homeowners - ) - . Travel ns iwid ¢ Defieux-Saxelb Insurance Services Inc. 105-200 West Esplanade North Vancouver (Located beneath Fumous Players Theatre) Werinesday, May 6, 1998 — North Shore News - 7 Impact of auxiliary decision growing withhold ail approval for any increase in police overtime budgets until this matter is settled. Langicy City Council has maved ta urge the AG to postpone the decision to dis- arm the auxiliaries until focal governinents have had a chance to review the available information and until a thor- ough study had been com- pleted. Other councils are considering sinclar motions. Whiac does all this tell us? The AG has clearly jumped the gun in ordering the dis- arraing. Why? At this point, who knows. i have heard the arguments from Mu:phy of liability and safety concerns. Well, the armed long before the com mittee has even Rnished its study fer alone report on its finding». The auxiliaries have with- drawn all Cseir services in the waxe of Dosanjh’s anrounce- ment, as have the municipal reserve forces. Summer events like Kelowna’s Thunderfest, Penticton’s Peachtest and Nanaimo’s Bathtub race are all in jeopardy because those towns can't afford rhe over- tin Josts to have regular members perforin the func- tion: of the volunteer officers. Vancouver Police Cricf Bruce Chambers has reacted with his usual aplomb and ham-handedness. He has now told Vancouver’s reserves, who are withhulding their scr- Vices, to cither return to duty without their weapons or resign. Oh, and no hard feel- ings. The chairman of the UBCM, Quesnel Mayor Steve Wallace, has written all may- ors in B.C. suggesting they OW, fully warrenty province pays heavy liability insurance premiums out of the $400,000 it spends annu- ally on the program. | stili don’t have a clue what safety concerns they zre ralking about. In the interim, the costs are rising. Service to the pub- lic is lessening and the volun- teer auxiliaries and reserves are cooling their heels at home. If asivene can make any sense out of al! this would you please let me know. In fact, if any common sense can be found in any of this, would you please ler the AG know. He seems to be a little short of it these days’ — lknight@direct.ca ; "on Lube & Fitter 21 pt. Safety chech, 15 minutes - FAST! 2, Includes up te 5 lites of 10w39 Quakerstate | 1362 Marine Drive $s#0-9115 Mon-Sat 8:00am-6:00ipmn, Sun. 9:00armn-5:00prn Expres May 17, 96] on ee ee ee ee ee ee Think of ali she did for y fof out lw Rae Queen tor Ad Princess Package: A fin day of toral pampering’ _ A cconbination of Beamy & designed especially for mom Relaxation, Plan, on'3 1 tig" $87 Perm with haireut «tg. 375 $68 Haircut & Blowdry | ceg. 530 $26 Colour Burst: Your choice...... Dahlies in bloom or fragrant Stocks or Snapdragons in bright colours... 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