Blue Line Magazine 1 FEBRUARY 2005 Blue Line Magazine 2 FEBRUARY 2005 February 2005 Volume 17 Number 2 Publisher’s Commentary 5 Reduced crime should not reduce agency sizes Blue Line Magazine 12A-4981 Hwy 7 East Ste 254 Training for trouble 6 Markham, ON L3R 1N1 Ontario Provincial Police Tactical Unit Canada Ph: 905 640-3048 Fax: 905 640-7547 Cop’s restraint and a warrior’s mindset 10 Web: www.blueline.ca eMail: [email protected] Training equals success for tactical unit — Publisher — Morley S. Lymburner Spokesperson important part of message 12 eMail: [email protected] It’s not just what is said-but also who says it — General Manager — Mary Lymburner, M.Ed. Thieves caught red handed with bait cars 14 eMail: [email protected] — Editor — So who wants to be Chief? 16 Mark Reesor eMail: [email protected] Not ready to go 17 The real consequences of impaired driving — News Editor — Les Linder eMail: [email protected] Gun control and homicide in Canada 18 Legislation has mixed results — Advertising — Mary Lymburner Welcome to our 2005 Supply & Service Dean Clarke DEEP BLUE 20 Guide. Darrel Harvey is the man at the cen- Bob Murray The bystander effect Kathryn Lymburner tre of this month’s cover. Darrel is a member eMail: [email protected] of the RCMP Planning Branch in Halifax. The BC police will soon patrol from above 21 — Pre-press Production — picture was taken when Darrel worked in the Forensic Firearms section of “H” Division. Del Wall Brockville helps families in Belarus 22 The picture is emblematic of some of the — Contributing Editors — goods and services required by police serv- Communication Skills Mark Giles Community, family mourn RCMP officer 23 Police Management James Clark ices across the country. In this month’s edi- tion you will be able to find where to obtain Tactical Firearms Dave Brown Police and street youth 24 Technology Tom Rataj these items in addition to anything else you Psychology Dorothy Cotton may need that is not pictured here. Act helps protect first responders 25 Case Law Mike Novakowski With Montreal set to host the world at the Blue Line Magazine is published monthly, September to June, by 1976 Olympic Games, officials were more than Blue Line Magazine Incorporated with a mailing address of: Processing evidence in the Picton case 28 12A - 4981 Hwy. 7 East, Ste. 254, a little concerned about possible terrorist ac- Markham, Ontario, L3R 1N1. Roadside drug testing 29 tivity. The Ontario Provincial Police were Individual magazines are $5.00 each. Subscriptions are $25.00 per charged with providing security for the yacht- year or $40.00 for 2 years. (Foreign - $50.00 U.S.) Group and bulk rates available upon request. CASE LAW 30 ing events in Kingston and it was decided a All material submitted for publication becomes the property of Blue Line • Alcohol test during probation unconstitutional tactical unit, specially trained to quickly deal Magazine unless other arrangements have been made with the publisher with armed threats, was needed. Andrew F. prior to publishing. • Alcohol odour justifies roadside demand The authors, advisors and Publisher accept no liability whatsoever for Maksymchuk was a member of that first OPP any injuries to persons or property resulting from the application or adoption • Re-charter unnecessary if jeopardy understood of any of the procedures, tactics or considerations presented in this Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU) and went on magazine. Readers are cautioned and advised that articles presented to coordinate the unit for eight years. His fas- herein are edited and supplied for your personal awareness and should not ODDITORIALS 33 be used for further action until appropriate advice and guidance is received cinating recollections of those early days is our from a supervisor, Crown Attorney or other person in authority. lead article this month. Established in 1988, Blue Line Magazine is an independent publication DISPATCHES 34 designed to inform, entertain, educate and upgrade the skills of those Continuing with the tactical theme, Ryan involved in the law enforcement profession. It has no direct control from a law enforcement agency and its opinions and articles do not necessarily 2005 Supply and Service Guide 40 Siegmund profiles the Calgary Police Tacti- reflect the opinions of any government, police, or law enforcement agency. cal Unit, which puts would-be tac officers ©2005 - All articles are protected by copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, TECHNOLOGY 58 through a gruelling 26 week boot camp to see electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording or by any You’ve been phished if they have what it takes to join the unit. The information storage or retrieval system without permission. few who survive – and are still standing – be- Internet activity is monitored and use or re-posting of material on the Internet is restricted. COMING EVENTS 59 come members, says Sgt. Tony Manning. In other features this month, Communica- Dealing with workplace violence 60 tion Skills editor Mark Giles explains why a This publication is a private venture and receives no well-trained, prepared and appropriate spokes- subsidy or grant from any level of government. BOOK REVIEW 61 person is crucial to delivering your message — Affiliations — Workplace Health & Safety Crimes to the press and public; Police Management International Association of Law Enforcement Planners editor James Clark comments on the current Canadian Advertising Rates & Data International Police Association Auxiliary officers a valuable resource 64 search for a new Toronto chief; Antoon A. The Police Leadership Forum Leenaars delves into the effectiveness of Ca- Periodical Publishers Exchange NEWS CLIPS 65 nadian gun control legislation; and Dr. The Canadian Press Newswire Dorothy looks at the bystander effect. Harvey Research 2005 BLUE LINE TRADE SHOW 67 West Coast correspondent Elvin Klassen Printed in Canada by Tri-Tech Printing writes about how the police and citizens of ISSN #0847 8538 BACK OF THE BOOK 70 Brockville are helping families in Belarus and Canadian Publications Mail Canada Post - Police use of force Tom Sidney reports on Operation Go Home. Product Sales Agreement No. 176796 Blue Line Magazine 3 FEBRUARY 2005 Blue Line Magazine 4 FEBRUARY 2005 ` ` ` ` Reduced crime should not reduce` agency sizes This in spite of the fact that these types of of- by Morley Lymburner ficers have long been recognized for having their ears to the ground. Too many agencies Canada has been blessed with what has still insist on “tin can” policing with friendly been arguably described as a falling crime rate. waves from the cruiser as it passes through. The reaction to this is quite often one of police Too many agencies are looking for the wrong cut backs. What puzzles me is that when soci- kind of problems. They feel they need to solve ety finds itself with a much reduced fire haz- headline crime instead of solving problems ard no one suggests doing away with firefight- to other countries or bolster some other cur- affecting everyone where they live and work. ers. So what is the difference here? rently politicallyXXXX correct segment of society. One other thing to be addressed would be Although thisX is good PR the thought that our Well to begin with society (and the politi- XX to improve working conditions to a level where cians they vote for) are a little uncomfortable roads may become less safe than they once officers do not mind staying with a particular with a lot of cops out there lurking and skulk- were is not comforting. Manitoba and Alberta agency longer and newer candidates will look ing in nooks and crannies they would much are two provinces who are suffering from a lack upon the concept of becoming a police officer prefer to keep in the dark. The fear of an un- of proper traffic enforcement and the Toronto more favourably. For instance there is no rea- der worked police officer trying to find some- Police Service still believes 18 small and un- son police services should not subsidize offic- thing to do is far more problematic to many derstaffed traffic units are better than larger ers who choose to live in the community they than an under worked firefighter shining his more geographically coordinated ones. work in. Long commuting distances for offic- truck in the fire hall. Somehow the lack of personnel to do day ers caused by high real estate prices can cost A cop trying to busy himself just might find to day work appears not to affect the numbers the community dearly when the police offic- there is a lot more to do then he figured. Eve- of officers we are able to send overseas. Cur- ers live far from where they work. ryone wants the cops to catch robbers and rently sketchy figures indicate around 600 of- There is no rational reason to cut back po- murderers but not necessarily the speeders and ficers are deemed not necessary to patrol Ca- lice budgets when crime rates fall. Using the stop sign violators. Although fraudsters are nadian communities and are sent off to Iraq, same or even increasing resources creates a viewed by the public as a nuisance this pales Haiti and other countries around the world. better more attractive police service which in in comparison to the cop asking why your In populated areas there is still a place for turn creates a safer community. Safer commu- seatbelt wasn’t fastened. the beat officer but few agencies feel they can nities attract more people and the tax base in- It is time police services across the coun- afford to dedicate officers to this type of work.