Above the law

Tell me again why the public doesn't trust the RCMP? I keep forgetting......and tell me again that Canada's finest doesn't cover it's own dirt.

The recent scandals at the very top of the r.c.m.p. organization should tell you all you need to know, if one is questioning the veracity of our national police force. Obviously they look after their own, it is to be expected from any organization, after all. It is just that it galls us the taxpayers, who are often subject to the full extent of the law if we should make a 'mistake' and 'panic' Tell me, someone, what would have happened to a non 'member' in the same situation;
inebriated (probably) hit a parked car, ran away, confessed to the gendarme much later, when you are sober????
metalman

You don't have to convince me Andy...

Why is the public so eager to paint the whole RCMP force with the same paintbrush.
I don't care what group you look at there are good and bad in each and every one of them.
And yes the bad ones should be punished the same as any other person who commits the same crime.
Does every incident that happens in the world have to hit the newspaper for it to have been properly dealt with?

Yes it seems that way that the incidents need to hit the papers in order to try to get it to be dealt with properly anyway....try being keyword. I once saw an off duty officer urinating on the wall outside of Boston Pizza....can you imagine if I urinated on the wall outside Boston Pizza???? For one it would be hard for me to do but you get my point. Also, someone close to me dated an officer once years ago and they were standing in line at movies and he decides to walk by all in line and wink at security guard and go inside free and she's in the line thinking 'Um Ok????What about me???? What do I do???' I'm starting to think that laying charges against police officers in the wrong doing is a must but we cant stop there if we want change I really think charges should be made against the Academy each time one of their students screws up. Training must be looked at more closely and obviously needs some fine tuning and tweaking. Who is in charge of the training anyway? I think these names must be brought out in the newspapers so maybe they'll make a conscious decision that they dont want to look bad. This is where the reputation must be looked at and where half the problems come from i'm sure. The root.

One bad apple does not make the whole basket bad. Lets face it, ALL issues of broken laws take forever to come to a conclusion. Not just when it involves an officer of the law.

I recall one incident that happened a few years back, wherein a (self confessed) drunk driver, driving home at night killed a young boy and left the scene out of "panic". That person was so filled with the need to "self preserve" that they did not even stop to see if the child needed help. It was about 2 years before all was said and done over that and that person did not even spend one day in jail yet "justice" was served? This person, while under the influence (by confession, not physical proof), got away with murder. Now, this officer, while supposedly under the influence, hits a parked car, panics and leaves the scene but turns himself in once he has had a bit of time to rethink what he had done, then he proceeds to pay for the damages. In my opinion, he did not "get away with it".

All incidents are surrounded by circumstances that creat opportunity for people like us to form opinions. I have thus expressed mine. When the person who kills a child is properly punished without sympathy we can rethink how the constable should be re-punished.

In the meantime, at least in my opinion, the punishment fits the crime.

No intention to paint the entire force with the same brush,but that doesn't change the fact that the old "CYA" seems to apply to the RCMP just as it does to so many other issues.
If an incident doesn't get the publicity, it may just get shuffled off to the back burner before the public notices.The only way to keep them honest is to keep these issues front and center in the public eye.
And in spite of what some think,all the bad publicity lately for the RCMP was caused by their own arrogance.They are not above public scrutiny and they are NOT above the law!

Oh yes, and in my opinion, people who choose to drink and drive are STUPID.

They SHOULD lead by example...but all too often, they think they are above the law, just because they are a cop.

If anyone should adhere to the exact letter of the law it is them...and then maybe others would follow the example, and also respect them a lot more.

And to the idiots that say well its just a few bad apples...Fine, then the other cops should instantly report, and arrest these few bad apples the second they learn of "BAD" activity, and not cover for them, or help them in anyway.
Heck get stopped speeding, and then they realize its a fellow cop...off they go...Ya its a minor thing, but lets start there before we even get to the big stuff.

I say no way, if they get stopped they better get a damn ticket and fine like any other motorist.
And same goes for EVERY other law to...not just speeding...that was just the first example that came to mind is all.

Firstly, not everyone gets a ticket for speeding. Thats a subjective call it seems, largely based on attractiveness for women and driving record for men. Over ruled, of course, in the case of sports/muscle cars.
Second, it is hypocrisy to suggest that cops should obey ALL the laws ALL the time when no one in Canada does. If you want them to set a perfect example, dont ever expect them to let you off lightly when you break any one of the many laws we canadians obey in a rather inconsistent manner.
Third , dont call people idiots because they believe something different than you do. I would call it inflammatory but really what it is is rude. It also reduces the effect of your arguement. One assumes that a person throwing insults around is already losing the arguement. If you are trying to convince others, it is best, in my view to remain civil. Yes, you guessed it, I do subscribe to the 'few bad apples' theory.
Fourth, Cops have to work with each other just like everyone else does. Giving the fellow cop the chance to make things right was the best approach for the other officer to take. I think most people, in most occupations would expect their co workers to do the same. Ratting the guy out instantly over a parked car hit and run would not go over well, regardless of where you worked. Had the offending officer not reported to his superior then the situation would change. Also if it had been a serious incident (danger or injury to life and limb)then immediate action would have been the right approach. As it was, the cop reported it in a reasonably timely fashion (for the offence involved) and was punished to the same extent that any of us would be.
Fifth, Get into a fender bender in a fairly new car or truck, Ben and you will see that repairs in the thousands are pretty easy to rack up, esp. when ICBC is covering the tab, no questions asked.

wow you must be in politics caran!

lets see if you can figure out my point from this post ?

What does this incident have do do with the training in Regina? I'm sure if you went to the RCMP website you could find out who runs the show back there. It comes under a lot of public scrutiny and is not as some people think, a "Secret" place.