Both cab companies? Would seem fair.

what a bunch of crap! I'm in Calgary, and I won't give up my DNA for such a bogus investigation! Come and get me if you want. These cops are a pathetic lot!!

taxinapothole


stay in Calgary

Well, PG made headline news on Global tonight once more. Civil Liberties has gottne involved. Cab drivers were apparently told that they would remain a person of interest if they refused to volunarily" provide a DNA sample.

Then there was a female offcier who defended thier actions since it was voluntary.

Is this the way the local detachment is trained? Does this happen in larger communities where people might be more aware of their rights?

http://www.theprovince.com/news/Taxi+drivers+give+samples+RCMP+solve+Highway+Tears+murders/4288401/story.html

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/02/15/bc-pg-cabbies.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/rcmp-demand-dna-from-prince-george-cab-drivers/article1908914

Runner 46 ... try to brief yourself on basic human right .... !!!!!!

Pretty soon all of us will have to provide DNA samples, you know, just in case. What a crock of crap.

Maybe they should just get DNA from everyone in Prince george and area and get it over with.
I suppose in the broadest sense of the word, we could all be suspects...
Come get me I am here....
bring a warrant with you ....

So the cops are trying to do their jobs, trying to find a murderer and everyone is displeased because it involved a whole company and they were asking for DNA samples. So we don't know they didn't talk to both companies, just that the owner of yellow cab decided to talk to the media. Also I was under the understanding that if they can not clear you for the crime then, yes, you would remain a person of interest. That doesn't mean that these people wouldn't be ruled out eventually, just that it would take more time because they didn't provide a sample. These women have families anxiously waiting to find out what happened to their loved ones. Maybe the way the police explained the cab drivers rights could have been better but everyone should know they have a right to request a lawyer if they are named a person of interest in a crime. Know your rights and the police can not take advantage of your ignorance.

They have a right to request a lawyer? $300/hour? Cab dirvers are not exactly made of money!!!!

These gals frequented cabbies. What else did they frequent? Seven Elevens? Pawn shops? Grocery stores? Buses?

Do you think that some of the cabbies made up the story about how they were asked and how "voluntary" their contribution actually was? Look at how the RCMP spokesperson responded to that. She was not there, so she cannot say what was said is her ridiculous answer. Such interaction should be recorded to protect both the RCMP interviewer and the interviewee.

She obviously cannot say something like: "we have a strict protocol for those circumstances and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that there was no coercion of any kind. We have every interview on tape."

"So the cops are trying to do their jobs"

Right. They are failing and human right are pushed to the side. Gives me a lot of confidence in the ability of our police force. It seems to be getting worse and worse.

So gus, she wasn't there, and you were not either. Yes they can request a lawyer or they can choose not to answer questions. They have rights and those right do jack unless you know them! Is it the cops fault they can't afford a lawyer?? The police force is not perfect, I know that. Can they not request legal aid like everyone else?? They were being questioned not arrested. Maybe you should put down the conspiracy novels your reading because their going to your head, we don't know the complete story yet.

Also, most people know that cab drivers see and hear a lot of things on the street but may not be that willing to come forward. I am glad that the police are taking a proactive approach to trying to find more information on these missing and murdered women. Frankly, in my opinion, its about time.

People are acting like this was some random DNA check. The police have some reason to believe that the cab companies could have someone involved. Perhaps they have more information in the investigation than they are able to make public, at the risk of compromising the investigation.

I don't understand why, given the circumstances, it is big deal to let someone run a swab around your mouth. It takes a couple of minutes, and if you didn't murder any of these women you are cleared of any connection and can go about your life. The DNA sample was voluntary, but since there is some suspicion of a connection to the cab company, then people refusing the sample would remain a person of interest. All that means is be prepared to answer questions and have the investigators do a little information finding the old fashioned way. If that's what you'd prefer, then that's your choice.

People shouldn't automatically assume that the police investigating something as serious as murders are simply blindly stomping on people's human rights. They are trying to get a murderer off the streets so that it's not someone else's daughter next. Maybe your own.

I agree with your comments whoa whoa.
The same people that bitch about their rights being violated will be the same ones bitching that the law isn't doing enough if it were their loved one that was murdered.

All Male over the Age of 16 report to the Police for Testing and Interviews.
I am sorry this was another Country in the 1930-40. How low can they go ?

I heard that it wasn't a simple mouth swab, it was a blood sample. They were requested to come in to give a DNA sample but before that happened, they were questioned at length on a whole lot of things. Some things got pretty personal.

Junco - exactly. We either do too much or too little. No one can just say "good job" anymore.
Of course things would get personal. They're trying to see what kind of person you are. Unfortunately, being questioned and eliminated as a "person of interest" in a murder and missing persons case isn't supposed to make you feel comfortable. If fact I imagine it would be quite uncomfortable. I really do hope that this brings them closer to closing the case.

There is a difference between questioning and giving a blood sample .... swab? .. you are watching too much TV .... DNA tests are not exactly cheap ...

There is a difference between asking and telling you that if you do not provide one then you will remain on the suspect list ....

They should roundup all the John's in this town and do the same for some obvious reasons ....

They should round up all the truck drivers in town and do the same since that is what one of the theories is ....

If someone had seen a black person in this town with one of them, then they would need to round up all the black people ... or Chinese people if they had seen one of them with an Asian .....

Basically you round up all those people who the rednecks in this town feel that are less than they are .....

One of them might have been seen with a religious person in town .... how about one might have been seen with a police officer .....

This is just another erosion of the personal freedoms that we enjoy ... taken away just like that because we have a police force that is frustrated with not being able to solve a few murders .....

"So gus, she wasn't there, and you were not either"

I did not have to be there. I can read and I can listen and view tapes on TV and on the internet. Many months after the fact, this is coming out. Why now? Who suddenly realized they were duped into providing some very personal information they did not have to? The female officer was asked to respond to the same information I had. I wrote you how she could have responded without saying what was actually said but going into what should be the situation. She did not. That tells me a lot!!!! The RCMP is not a transparent organization. Nothing of the case would have been given away by defining how things are done and what system they have in place to ensure their officers are going by the book. They have none, plain and simple .....

Do you really think Global and CBC and others would have picked this story up if a bunch of taxicab drivers had simply been asked what they saw ..... that is not a story ....

That there was a likely violation of human rights ..... THAT is the story .... and it is a VERY sad story that many on here do not understand that basic principle and are there to protect your fellow citizen of this so-called "free" country that this city is supposed to be part of.

Well, it seems that you have your opinion and I have mine, and that is totally fine with me. I can not tell anyone what happened because I wasn't there. I do think that people should know when they have a right to say no and if you're not sure CONSULT A LAWYER. They have legal aid for a reason in this country, use it! However on that same note, it is good to see the police putting in some effort (even if people think it's a fishing exploration) into finding who is responsible for these crimes. At the end of the day, we may have a difference in opinion, but I know if and when these crimes are solved, gus, you'll be just as happy as the next person.

I tend to side with crazylegshinch, whoa whoa and Junco on this one.

The way I look at it, the cops obviously had a reason to be asking for DNA from the drivers of this particular cab company, otherwise they wouldn't have. After all, we don't hear stories about the RCMP seeking random DNA samples every single day, so there is obviously something else that prompted them to do so. I think it's reasonable to conclude that to go through the effort and cost of what they were doing, that they thought it might have led to the identification and/or arrest of a murder suspect. You also have to know that they are not going to provide full disclosure on what they were seeking, since they are in the middle of an active investigation. Since they are seeking DNA, I would assume that they have evidence that they are trying to match up. Since they are targeting a specific company, it's probably safe to assume that they believe a murder suspect is working for that company. Of course people working for that company would remain suspects until they were excluded, that's how it works. Honestly, I would hope that the RCMP would do their due diligence when it comes to following leads, investigating the case, working with the evidence they have, etc. It sure as hell beats them jumping to conclusions or making assumptions about something and the consequences that could come from that.

As an aside, they really are in a no win situation. They do what they have done and they are in the bad books. On the flip side, if the guy out there kills another two women on our streets and it comes out later that they could have identified and arrested him had they done the DNA testing, then they are in even deeper trouble. Given the likelihood that they have something compelling evidence here, I think the first option is more acceptable than the second. This whole thing probably came down to risk management and the risk of bad press is probably easier to swallow than the risk of not apprehending a potential murderer. They really can't win in this situation.

Gus:
"Look at how the RCMP spokesperson responded to that. She was not there, so she cannot say what was said is her ridiculous answer."
How was she supposed to respond? By lying?
These folks are trying to follow up leads in murder investigations, I really hope everyone cooperates, supplies DNA and gets on with their lives. Doubt they have anything to hide and it was great to see the manager of PG Taxi comment on the issue.
Yes we all have rights, but let's get real and keep this in perspective. There's some police officers out there who are working real hard to figger this one out and maybe prevent another one. Doubt you can request a lawyer when told you're a person of interest, lawyer would probably tell you to call back when you'd been arrested.
Hey if you're out there and you've got something to hide, yer gonna get caught, its just a matter of time. Do the right thing.

In the past we have had some pretty bizzare thing happen by a judge, teachers and some cops. Maybe we should be getting all the judges and cops DNA too? Now we have reason to get a persons DNA right from birth. Not that any cop would ever be convicted but they have the absolute best chance (as well as opportunity) of getting away with crimes.