The whole article talks about the city being concerned about rising police costs, the fact that costs are unsustainable, etc.

Would it not then stand to reason that they should heed their own concern and reconsider the allocation of 40 to 50 million dollars of city money towards the cost of a new police station?

My thoughts precisely NMG.

Why not advocate legalization of pot and use the tax from it to cover policing costs. The pot tax alone would probably be sufficient to cover all the policing costs in this country. Better to have the revenues going to the good guys, rather than the bad guys that contaminate the product (health and policing costs to the public) to increase their revenues....

NMG, those in government cannot see the forest for the trees, how could you expect them to correlate the issue of rising police costs with the construction of a civic monument (new rcmp mansion) If they were at all prudent with the funds, there would not be a new police station, there would be a nice effective addition and renovation to the existing building.
This concept of which I speak is too simple I guess. I'm with Eagle, legalize marijuana, and tax the stuffing out of the sales. They do it for alcohol and tobacco already, the only thing standing in the way of such a daring prospect is societal norms. Alcohol causes a lot more harm to our society than leagal pot ever could.
If I was a cop, I would much rather deal with a stoner with the munchies, than a drunk behind the wheel, or a drunk who is angry at the world.
metalman.

Pot has medical cosequences as well but still a better choice due to the fact that we would elliminate the illegal pushers. We have to legalise all drugs and that will remove the criminal element and a lot of the other crap we have to pay for.

Agreed!!

Ha, what you don't realise is that if you legalize pot, you will have impaired drivers behind the wheel, thus more policing requirements. Impaired by drug that is.

At least they will only crash at 40 KM/H.

How would it elliminate the illegal pushers? They are not goint to give up the income so they will just push the hard drugs and go after younger kids.

There are many stoned drivers every day. Can you cite just one example of a MVA caused by cannabis? Can you cite one example of police pulling over a cannabis intoxicated driver because it was noted that they were intoxicated? I didn't think so!

Almost daily we here about alcohol caused MVA's.

Let's see if I follow... marijuana doesn't alter your judgement in any way? It makes you a better driver? That's news to me.

neither one of those statements was ever made by me.
Notice the question marks, it was a request for confirmable facts of the matter rather than hearsay and conjecture.

What can be proven with historical data? If there is no historical data, then it is only theory and conjecture. But then when did facts ever get in the way of opinions?

We know for fact that alcohol and tobacco are known hazards with documented results.

Your whole argument is a red herring, but nice try.

The thing is that there is no roadside testing or breathalyzer for marijuana. If there was, you can bet there would be just as many convictions for driving under the influence. It's harder to prove that an accident was caused by marijuana use, but quite easy to show alcohol.

Many accidents are caused by driving without due care and attention... smoking dope would certainly contibute to this, dontcha think?

Agreed on the last point.

As a matter of fact there is trained RCMP members for detecting impairment other than alcohol. They do some physical coordination testing and can even request court ordered blood tests upon apprehension.

In an accident they will request the same tests and the coroner performs those tests as a regular part of an accident investigation.

So at least my red herring has a basis in fact. Your opinion is only that, opinion.

Oh, by the way, were you going to provide some of the requested historical data or any facts? (question mark indicates a question)

If you could buy pot at the 7-11, pushers would soon dissapear; just like booze cans did when the age was lowered and the bars stayed open sundays..

Cop time is largely spent enforcing judge-law. Rather than answer complaint calls, they prowl for brain damaged people who have failed to appear for hearings. End Drug-Prohibition and you end the need for much cop service. Cops know that legalization would mean they would be less likely to collect their obscene, secret (likely 90% of their highest wage) pensions which their extortions have created conditions where they can get 45 years pay for 25 years work.

"Oh, by the way, were you going to provide some of the requested historical data or any facts?"

Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't answer to you or ask 'how high' when you say 'jump'.

However, I guess you could look up how many accidents were caused by driving with undue care and attention the number of fatalities caused from driving under the influence of a narcotic and go from there.

(Period indicates the end of a sentence).

The fact of the matter is that there is no need to smoke pot. Those who do, will of course defend its use, and call for legalization, even though it would fall under the rules of smoking, and they would be standing outside in minus 20 degrees sucking away like the bloody fools they are.

Same thing for boozers. They defend the right to drink to the point that it kills them. Long live freedom of choice.

Mature adults do not drink to excess, and they do not smoke pot. Those who do are either addicted, or immature.

If you take a little time to evaluate those people you know who do drugs, smoke, or drink to excess, you will see that the above statement is true.

The truth of the matter is the rising cost of :Police, Firemen, (and support staff) City workers and staff, Government Workers (Oxymoron) etc; etc; etc; is not sustainable.

We have to reduce costs across the board. The gravy train has pulled into the station. The last people to realize that there is no money left to support all these Gpovernment Workers is the workers themselves. They havent caught on because they have been to busy feeding at the trough. Giving themselves huge wage increases, pension benefits, and generally dancing through the tulips without a worry in the World.

Its time to wake up and smell the roses.

I am so glad you got your period(.) It shows.