Would in not have been easier to say from the start we made a mistake and we have done this to avoid this in the future? We all are humans and were not perfect. I know myself I would of "forgive" them more is they took that approach. How they are handling it now is less forgiving than if they would have said were sorry from the start.

We are starting to look more and more like a banana republic were justice can be bought and abuses can easily be swept under the carpet. At least the media are doing their job, I think if it had not gotten out that there was a video of this crime the police would have been laughing all the way back to the station.

Exactly the point I was going to make MoneKate.

The police forces have a tough job at times where quick decisions result in mistakes, so had they shown integrity and said... 'we made a mistake and someone died, we are going to look at this with a sober view of how to avoid this in the future'... had they said that I'm sure a lot of people would have at the minimum walked away thinking at least the RCMP still have integrity....

That to me is the most disturbing thing in all these high profile cases of police abuse, mistakes, and crimes. It should be their highest priority to show integrity with a dignified honest broker approach. Instead we are witnessing blatant institutionalized cover ups, excuses that don't wash, and a bizarre tunnel vision on their conjured up story as if they say it enough it becomes fact (anyone else this would be seen as a crime by the RCMP)... this is a very dangerous development in the RCMP's approach to accountability. There actions at the Braidwood inquiry should alarm everyone... For a police force to function effectively it has to be seen as a honest force for good, because without the public on board it becomes an 'us verses them' situation that becomes counter productive to their mandate.

There is no excuse for changing a story or trying to minimize ones actions after the fact. For this reason alone I think the officer that pulled the tazar trigger should receive the maximum penalty for second degree murder... had his testimony been consistent and honest I would have been inclined to forgive, but how can anyone when we see this kind of display that makes a farce of our legal system.

Time for a provincial police force with a new flow chart of accountability to the people of BC. A provincial force to replace the RCMP that is staffed with BC residents that want to improve their communities. Not out of province recruits that only want to transfer around getting the promotions and to dam with the health of the communities they are supposed to be policing.

The RCMP have stated clearly through the various inquires that they are above the law and that will not be changing. The only option then is to have them replaced IMO by a provincial force....

I'm all for a BC police force, too. But there needs to be a way to keep out the kind of corruption that permeated the upper echelons of the old BC Provincial Police after years of BC Liberal dominated government throughout the '30's and '40's. Where being a Cabinet Minister or even a higher level Civil Servant was carte blanche to get away with all kinds of things on apprehension that we lesser mortals would have been charged with.

purgery plain and simple, any lawyer or judge should see that. What kind of country condones this kind of action. Why are we even paying taxes if our government condones this kind of policing. When the Europeons, or anyone who can't speak english avoid our Olympics then maybe something will be done. Vancouver Airport and all your communication staff should be fired. Thank God for that video now we know how corrupt our police really ARE. It's a bloody embarrassing shame. I don't know what I'll say next time I travel abroad. What a SHAME!

should all hang our heads in shame. But the RCMP were called upon to deal with a "troublesome" customer. I think that the airport people should be taken to task. If they had done their job this incident would never have happened.

Maybe there is hope that the crown will reconsider charges after what we are seeing an hearing at the inquest.
For the crown not to deal with this is a miscarriage of justice in itself!
No way in the world these 4 winners should be able to walk away from this, and I am still surpised that the RCMP is trying to cover it up at all.
A major blow to their credibility.
Makes you wonder else have they covered up?
Perhaps we need another inquiry to what is going on within the RCMP upper ranks?

Frankly, who remembers the Ian Bush incident? The RCMP fix these cases and - knowing that they can act with impunity - put them behind them.

What can we do about police lawlessness? Force politicians to commit to ending police-investigate-police/judge-investigate-judge atrocities.

Criminal Reports (61, 6th series) has a timely short article on this topic, "Core Prosecutorial Discretions Permit Welching" with reference to cases where Crown attornies have 'welched' on plea deals.

Apparently, prosecutors may bargain on the basis of presumed acceptibility of deals, but may welch same in the face of administrative directives.

Ben: the author of the above mentioned article is: Tim Quigley (U of Saskatchewan). He would have something to say to your listeners about the YVR deal. Quigley is hyper-critical of judge-law. If you want to talk to him, try: tim.quigley@usask.ca

I am trying to contact him to do a program.
Thank,s you for the tip

Well I can not say that I did not expect this out come. I figured it would be swept away just as others have in the past.

I can truthfully say I have lost all confidence in our justice & policing system.
It is a very sad day for our national police force. They are no better than the gang bangers and druggies, in fact they are worse because the commit these crimes with total impunity from a platform of public trust. I hope there are some RCMP reading this column so they won't have to wonder why the public looks at them with distrust.

Call 911 for a policeman. Not likely...

Our police force has done sooo much damage to itself. RCMP were once well respected both in Canada and around the world. The way this was handled has destroyed their credibility and has destroyed people's trust in them.

I think their policies and procedures leave the police forces open to controversies and lost lives both the lives of public and police officers. Such cases as the fellow killed in police custody in Houston and the police officer who died investigating domestic dispute in the north. They need to overhaul the procdures. Times change and their procudures need to change as well for their own protection as well as the publics protection.

A Victoria singer, Kendel Carson, has teamed up with legendary songwriter, Chip Taylor ("Wild Thing"; "Angel of the Morning") on a tribute to Robert Dziekanski:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvrlIDkxLLc

It's not completely the RCMP's fault that they have become what they have become.

One must look at the politicians in this country who have the ultimate say in what happens regarding any police force or justice system in this country.

They are mostly to blame for what we see today.
They are the law makers and they have failed the citizens of this country.