AS a columnist on jus-
tice issues, it’s a large
part of the job descrip-
tion to be critical of
publicly perceived prob-
lems within the legisla-
tive, enforcement and
judicial parts of the sys-
tem.

Being critical of any estab-
lishment, especially ones like
the judiciary or a police orga-
nization, invites inevitable
public feedback.

Normally, a columnist’s
response to that feedback is
not warranted, Raising the
questions and provoking
debate is the main aim.
However, certain communica-
tons demand a reply; perhaps
an explanation or a response
toa challenge.

One such lerter was pub-
lished in these pages on April
25 (Police department criti-
cism countered) written by
Ken Hardie, the
Communications Director of
the Vancouver Police
Department.

Now, if Hardie chooses to
rebut anything said in this
space, he is more than wel-
come. Indeed, if he can pro-
vide any information that sug-

s the information dis-
cussed is, in any way, wrong
or inaccurate, then he should
write to correct the ny“.

But the letter in qe sion
docs none of this. Py starts
off by suggesting [ harbour a
grudge and somehow, thacs
why T have been critical of
senior police management in
Vancouver.

Sorry, but what Hardie
surmises couldn't be further
from the truth, Having .erved
in both the RCMP and
Vancouver Police
Department, [ teel well quali-
fied to sav T have the utmost
respect for the serving men
and women of the Vancouver
police force.

They routinely go beyond
the limitations of duty to pro-
vide the best possible service
to the public often in the
most trving of circumstances,

r the pol

Leo
Knight

crime and
punishment

The problem, you see, is
not the force itself which
invites the criticism, tut that
of'a chief who could not be
more out of touch with the
people who are at the sharp
end of things. Or the small
cadre of officers, marginalized
by a lack of respect trom the
majority of the department,
who have aligned themselves
with an unpopular regime tor
the most self-serving of rea-
sons.

Hardie complains about
being referred to by “the
pejorative, spin doctor.” Yet
in the letter itself he tries to
put a positive “spin” on a sur-
vey of officers taken at the
end of the vear which is rife
with problem areas. When
management released the sur-
vey results, Hardie used trans-
parent “spin” tricks in associ-
ated graphs.

The answers on the survey
had the multiple choice, 1 to
5 options. Yer in the accom
panying bar graphs, the num-
ber started at 0, thereby clon-
gating the bar, making it
appear more positive than it
actually was. A cheap illusion
and nothing else. What is that
if not “spin?”

With thar as the back-
groand, Hardie suggests there
is something wrong with not
calling him on an issue prior
te publishing a column,

Why would T want to do

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that?

Who really cares for a pol-
ished response designed to
minimize the intended criti-
cism? It’s not the position of
a columnist, paid to provide
analysis and opinion on an
issue. to seek the counter
spin.

It’s more important to talk
to the rank and file, middle
management and senior peo-
ple involved, to get at the
heart of the issue. Too much
of today’s media is controlled
by the spin doctors instead of
the basic tenets of journalism.

Bor the biggest problem |
have with Hardie’s missive is
the tinal paragraph in which
he suggests that, you, the
reader, need not concern
yourself with my “esoteric
musings” because you live on
the North Shore and not the
City of Vancouver.

Wh.t arrogance!
Somehow Hardie thinks
that it is only the roughly half

a million city citizens who
should care what is happening
with the province's largest
police department.

Evidently the one million
daily commuters who go into
the city trom surrounding
municipalities shouldn't care
about their protectors.

What about those who use
the city to attend sporting
events, concerts, Stanley Park,
the PNE, the courts, shop-
ping centres, restaurants,
nightclubs and a host of other
events and attractions that
make Vancouver one of the
hest cities in the world in
which to live? Do those peo-
ple not have a stake in the
organization responsible for
their satery?

What about the North
Shore's business leaders,

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movers and shakers? [f they
own or manage a business in
Vancouver ar travel to the city
to conduct business and pay
the high taxes associated with
commerce in the city, are they
not entitled to know what is
happening with their policing
service?

Considering the North
Shore is home to many of the
business leaders who pay the
freight in Vancouver, it seems
to me they should be con-
cerned.

It would serve the interests
of Hardie and beleaguered
Chief Constable Bruce
Chambers weil if attention
were not focused on the mis-
management of this proud
organization which serves the
population of the whole
Lower Mainland, not just
those who live within the city
boundaries.

It’s to the credit of the
publisher of these pages that
the spotlight of concern is
allowed to be placed upon
issues important to all of us,
not just 4 parochial few.

In the past week, I attend-
ed avo police functions: a
retirement dinner for one of
the most respected inspectors
in the department and a
funeral for a long-serving
homicide detective. At both
events E was inundated with a
similar request trom officers [
know and served with and
from individuals [ had never
met.

The message was simple:
“Keep writing the truth,
Someone has to.”

And that, dear reader, is
what | intend to do despite
any attempt at detlection
trons a professional spi
doctor.

— tkniaht@direerca

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