In case you missed it, Calgary Police made a
ridiculous arrest at an outdoor skating rink recently.
They released this BS yesterday, the video is lengthy and includes a Q&A session:
The last several weeks have placed a tremendous amount of strain on our community. The same is true of our police officers. Like everyone else, we feel it in our personal lives, but also professionally as they do their part in the fight against COVID-19. Our duty to enforce public health restrictions has thrown us into the middle of a highly-polarized issue where each side has strong, fundamentally-opposing views. Tensions reached a new high this past weekend.
No police officer wants to be the person stopping others from enjoying normal activities, and we hate telling people that they can’t gather with loved ones as much as they hate hearing it. All of us can relate to the frustrations and impacts these restrictions have because we too have family members out of work, children with nowhere to go, and loved ones we can’t see. We are dealing with the same emotions and stress as everyone else.
However, we also understand the risks the virus poses to those with health complications. We also know the struggles our partners in healthcare are facing as hospitals fill up. We understand that our healthcare system is stretched to the max and we worry that if nothing is done, there may not be a hospital bed for a loved one when they need it. The doctors and nurses are giving up so much to save the people we love, and we all need to do our part to help them at this critical time in this fight against COVID-19.
Some members of the community believe public health restrictions should be aggressively enforced. Others would prefer to see no enforcement whatsoever. It is against this backdrop that we are trying to find the right balance between enforcement and compassion. Last week police received nearly 500 calls involving alleged violations of the health restrictions. Officers went to public spaces, private homes, and businesses to address the calls. Our approach has been to strive for voluntary compliance and we have found that the vast majority of Calgarians are understanding when they are informed of the restrictions. That is why our officers have issued fewer than 100 tickets under the public health orders since this began in March.
Unfortunately, there are people who refuse to do their part, even after the law has been explained to them. We have tried to work with many of these individuals, but we do not live in a society where a person can pick and choose which laws they follow. If a person breaks the law, they should no longer be surprised if they are issued a ticket or charged under the existing laws and legislation created by the government for us to enforce.
Citizens have a right to challenge laws they perceive to be unjust. The place for this to happen is in the courts and legislatures, not when you are dealing with a police officer. Many laws would become unenforceable if people were free to simply walk away from officers without identifying themselves. It is a legal requirement to provide your identification when being issued a summons. Failure to do so could lead to a more serious criminal charge of obstruction.
This past weekend we witnessed the stress of COVID create unnecessary conflicts between officers and some citizens. It is important in this moment that we remain focused on the bigger picture. These measures are temporary, but people’s lives are not.
We must remember we are all part of this community, we are all doing our best to manage these extraordinary circumstances, and we can beat COVID-19 if we work together.
https://facebook.com/CalgaryPolice/posts/10159002533209530 (
https://archive.vn/XvAEZ)
reason.com
