I hope Chief MacCaskill reads this forum

I have always been a law and order kind of guy. I taught my kids at an early age to respect the police and how to identify them and to find them if they were ever in trouble. Can't say that I still feel that way.



A couple of years ago, the alarm company called me that the alarm had been triggered at our community centre. I attended, figuring that someone had locked up improperly, or someone had broken a window, etc. When I got there and went in, I found a guy inside, putting on his skates. I called 911 and 40 minutes and 2 more calls later, 3 cars and 6 cops attended. They needed all that help, but it was ok for me to be alone in the building with the intruder. All turned out well, and the only question beyond identifying myself was about the soccer program as one of their members had been bad mouthing our program.



I regularly drive #2 son to work on Saturday am and we ususally cross the Slaw Rebchuk bridge. So this morning, 2 cars and 4 cops were stationed at the north end of the bridge with a radar gun. Keep in mind that this is 3 blocks away from the famous Merchants Hotel and 1 block form the Lord Selkirk Housing complex. As I was driving back home, I made sure that I was sticking to the 50km/hr limit, obviously, when who passed me easily over the bridge. Yes, a marked WPS car (TAC002 to be exact.)



When I went to pick him up at 3 pm, guess what. There they were, still or again, the same cops. Now, I'm sure that they weren't there the entire time, but do these guys know anything about perception. This type of thing,coupled with incidents like the Taman enquiry, and the actions of WPS members within the community on a non police basis, have caused me to lose respect.



Time for the management to get a grip on their employees.

I've mentioned the WPS seeming inability to prioritize matters before. This speed trap is a perfect example. They station several police resources at a location near the bottom of a bridge where they are certain to catch many speeders. Like a favourite fishing hole.

As long as the police depend on revenues from such things they will prioritise matters improperly.

With all the controversy surrounding Air Canada's move and the fact we are the Murder Capitol of Canada AGAIN, this dickhead has remained silent.

WE NEED A NEW POLICE CHIEF!!!!

Period. Full Stop.

This guy is soooo out of his element that it is pathetic.

And yet he is the best we have to offer! How does that happen in our system where the very best rise to power?

We have sam Katz at mayor!

We have the NDP in power!

Cream isn't the only thing that rises to the top Rosie.

Go to a sewage treatment plant and you'll see something else floating.

I don't think that it is a fair criticism to criticise the group of police that are in the traffic division!

Their job is to enforce the traffic laws. If they were in the coffee shop all day, then criticise, but they were doing their job!

Wash that brown stuff off your head Rosie...it smells.

So, this week, I came across another, what I consider, a misuse of police resources. I've took the week off and have done nothing special, but a few times, I've been southbound on McPhillips and found police sitting at McPhillips and Polson, which is a block south of Inkster. They're pulling over cars, from what I can figure, who continue southbound on McPhillips across Inkster, in the curb lane instead of making a right turn as the sign indicates.



So, in the interest of safety, they pull a police car onto the boulevard at Polson & Mcphillips, partially blocking the sidewalk, so pedestrians would have to walk around it, so they can issue tickets to the offending motorists. Again, this is District 3, which covers the North end, but they can afford to have a car and 2 cops tied up there for a few hours at a time. If safety is the main concern, then why not park in the KFC lot at Inkster and stand on the sidewalk cautioning drivers in the curb lane to turn right, rather than wait for the offense.



I'm also perplexed why you so rarely see cops pull vehicles over in traffic for offenses, but choose to sit in one spot for hours at a time. But its not about quota's is it, its about safety?

Low hanging fruit = maximum revenues...

With their top 5 speed trap locations - they're not just fishing where the fish are - they're stalking the lake. By that I mean they focus on these locations (Freeman has identified one of them) because they are locations at which many drivers are going over the "limit". A traffic ngineering analysis would quickly reveal these to be locations that should be 10kms more than they post it as. Speed limits are not to be arbitrary - they are to be formulated from the 85th precentile method (to establish the free-flow traffric speed) In Freemans example - of course the fruit there is from the downgrade - that's purely abusive enforcement.

Anybody catch the Freep article yesterday of the 5 most dangerous (collision and injury) intersections in Wpg? Neither of which is "photo-enforced" by the way. The Freep called the Wpg Traffic Engineer for comment on the question if the city has done a traffic analysis of these intersections. They said no - and with no further comment. So the Frep contacted City of Edmonton Traffic Engineering Dept to learn the obvious - that of course they respond to data like that to correct infrastructure deficiencies - as that is what high incidence of collisions reflects. An example was given in which the year prior to correction - 100 collisions occurred - following there was zero. One has to seriously question what our paid Traffic Engineering department feels their job is.



Last week, at one of the other top 5 stalking locations - one mile south of St Norbert on wide-open #75 Hwy - where it is a divided, multi-lane thouroughfare yet poorly posted at 60kph - they were set up again. I did what I usually do - stop and erect a 6' x 3' sign that states in massive letters

60

TRAP

AHEAD



The honks, waves and people stopping to congratulate for the pro-action are overwhelming. Both of these tax-collector units (patrol cars) made a trip north of their spot to see why "speeders" dropped from nearly everybody passing theough - to zero. I waved at them and invited them to stop. Instead they do what they always do - pack up and leave When given the opportunity I tell them that they prey on people and with zero regard to actual safety - and encourage them to get into a more productive career. We need more people doing the same. I write up a report of the days events including the expressed public support of my actions, including photos - and send to the Mayor and Chief McCashcow. I will say it again - this abuse will stop only when more people particiapte against their blatant enforcement against normal and safe driving behavior. Tolerate it no more.

I wonder if the cops posted to catch the criminals not turning from the curb lane at McPhillips & Inskter could move 2 blocks west and try some enforcement at the intersection of Inkster and Shepherd, the most expensive intersection for accidents in the city. Would that be in the interest of safety?

It is all about safety after all. Right?

Ya...safety..sure..little kids' safety...

Anybody notice how quickly the plan to decrease the speed limit in school zones was embraced and motioned for acceptance? Funny how they didn't have to study that for a year.

But tell the city that their favourite speed-trap locations are due to advantaging underzoned stretches and you might as well be asking them to split an atom - a complex matter that needs copious study and review.