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Active Shooter In NS. April 19 2020

I think I read earlier he was banned from owning / possessing firearms. If someone reported they’d seen a firearm in his house or on his property, would that be enough?
If it was recent, specific, the complainant was independently credible, and the complainant didn’t provide the info anonymously? With good writing, you could get it. The threshold to get a search warrant is ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe that, inside a place, there is a thing, that will afford evidence of an offense. ‘Reasonable grounds’ is actually a threshold below balance of probabilities, but the belief still has to be subjectively and objectively reasonable. It would be a hell of a lot better to corroborate the information.

If the complainant requests anonymity- say, a confidential informant - or if it comes in anonymously, say, a crime stoppers tip, zero chance a warrant is granted or holds up to challenge without corroboration.

If the info is stale, i.e., it’s a stretch to believe the thing is still in the place, you’re probably out of luck. I’ve gotten a search warrant for stuff we saw six months prior, but I was able to explain at length why I had strong belief that it would still be there, and other things we’d done in the meantime to build the investigation.
 
It’s impossible to know all the roads here. Old, new, unused, usable, overgrown but passable ect… There remains allot of raw emotions at the moment.

I had posted some of this earlier in the discussion last year:

Nearly 80% of municipal roads are private, including my own. This is a cost savings measure for municipal services (no clearing, grading, garbage, liability ect…) and is a cost savings for rural residents for road right of ways not being required to pay for installing services to meet municipal standards for water, sewage, lighting and walkways.

Currently RCMP services are funded for 4 officers on shift, covering 3572 sq km area, but for more than five years, they have been unable to fill two positions. My own current annual property tax for half the service provided is averaging $585 in this rural municipality 36K residents, or 4% of the NS population; leaving Colchester with a population density of 9.1 residents per sq km.

Residents are reluctantly bracing to pay an additional $100 a year due to the 17% pay raise being downloaded onto residents. The median income for the municipality is higher than other rural NS areas, at $32K per year , as 73% of municipal revenue is through property taxes.

Compare the police budget with the eight volunteer fire departments who are constantly holding 50/50 fundraisers. I pay $364 annually for volunteer coverage, or 38% less than what we are currently paying for RCMP services.

The town of Truro, NS is in the middle of the municipality, with it’s own local government and city police force of 38 officers for a population of 12.5K.
 
for every guy with “red flags” there are a thousand others that have the same red flags and never boil over. It’s only with hindsight that we re like “look at all the signs”. Every rural area has two or three of these “types”. Most nothing ever comes up with it.

Consistent reaction and consequence to breaking the law is the only way to catch them if even that works- we haven’t tried it. Trying to identify the kooks that will boil over is not a useful endeavour- you’ll just start catching up all the other outliers.

I can’t think of any rural place I’ve done this work that doesn’t have two of these people.

There would be more resources if we nailed people that repeatedly broke the law.

Can I ask what type of people you mean ?
 
It’s impossible to know all the roads here. Old, new, unused, usable, overgrown but passable ect… There remains allot of raw emotions at the moment.

I had posted some of this earlier in the discussion last year:

Nearly 80% of municipal roads are private, including my own. This is a cost savings measure for municipal services (no clearing, grading, garbage, liability ect…) and is a cost savings for rural residents for road right of ways not being required to pay for installing services to meet municipal standards for water, sewage, lighting and walkways.

Currently RCMP services are funded for 4 officers on shift, covering 3572 sq km area, but for more than five years, they have been unable to fill two positions. My own current annual property tax for half the service provided is averaging $585 in this rural municipality 36K residents, or 4% of the NS population; leaving Colchester with a population density of 9.1 residents per sq km.

Residents are reluctantly bracing to pay an additional $100 a year due to the 17% pay raise being downloaded onto residents. The median income for the municipality is higher than other rural NS areas, at $32K per year , as 73% of municipal revenue is through property taxes.

Compare the police budget with the eight volunteer fire departments who are constantly holding 50/50 fundraisers. I pay $364 annually for volunteer coverage, or 38% less than what we are currently paying for RCMP services.

The town of Truro, NS is in the middle of the municipality, with it’s own local government and city police force of 38 officers for a population of 12.5K.

We spend most the May to Oct period at our camp near Shubinacadie. I also fish, hunt and hike the area.

The place is a spiders web of roads and goat trails. And I tell ya, you find some crazy stuff down those goat trails.
 
Can I ask what type of people you mean ?
Wortman was a chronic complaint of the people he shared space with. He bullied people over his business and generated a lot of calls.

Under “investigation” a lot and charged very little because his complainants wouldn’t follow through for whatever reason.

Hated authority. Slick when he needed to be. Right up to the line all the time. Angry outbursts.

Every rural place has a guy where people drop off stolen property. Always rumours of violence swirling around them.

Angry interactions with anyone when they have to go to town.

You’ll find numerous bylaw complaints lodged against them over property disputes. Civil suing. Forfeiture orders.

I actually have a theory that the best filter for dangerous folks to watch is bylaw, restraining orders, and civil court actions. But that’s based on nothing but my own experience
 
It’s impossible to know all the roads here. Old, new, unused, usable, overgrown but passable ect… There remains allot of raw emotions at the moment.

I had posted some of this earlier in the discussion last year:

Nearly 80% of municipal roads are private, including my own. This is a cost savings measure for municipal services (no clearing, grading, garbage, liability ect…) and is a cost savings for rural residents for road right of ways not being required to pay for installing services to meet municipal standards for water, sewage, lighting and walkways.

Currently RCMP services are funded for 4 officers on shift, covering 3572 sq km area, but for more than five years, they have been unable to fill two positions. My own current annual property tax for half the service provided is averaging $585 in this rural municipality 36K residents, or 4% of the NS population; leaving Colchester with a population density of 9.1 residents per sq km.

Residents are reluctantly bracing to pay an additional $100 a year due to the 17% pay raise being downloaded onto residents. The median income for the municipality is higher than other rural NS areas, at $32K per year , as 73% of municipal revenue is through property taxes.

Compare the police budget with the eight volunteer fire departments who are constantly holding 50/50 fundraisers. I pay $364 annually for volunteer coverage, or 38% less than what we are currently paying for RCMP services.

The town of Truro, NS is in the middle of the municipality, with it’s own local government and city police force of 38 officers for a population of 12.5K.
Interesting. I'm trying to draw some comparisons with similar rural Ontario municipalities but the structure of services is somewhat different. With contract policing, you are paying for the service; with fire protection you are more paying for the assets (equipment, buildings, etc.). I'm guessing each rural department only has one full-time employee - the Chief, if that.

Are you saying the RCMP county contract is down two members, or two members per shift (which is a lot)? As with most other police services, vacancies are often only part of the problem. Extended leaves don't show as vacancies but certainly impact deployment.
 
Are you saying the RCMP county contract is down two members, or two members per shift (which is a lot)? As with most other police services, vacancies are often only part of the problem. Extended leaves don't show as vacancies but certainly impact deployment.
I’m not sure what they answer you’ll get will be. But It is not unusual to only have two members covering that amount of space. So only two working- where there is supposed to be four on a “shift”. There are detachments presently at around 60% staffing.

There are other places where there will be only one working for a long distance- with their backup being the other lone officer doing their own huge space in a neighbouring area.

This is shut down when it is caught by the districts but it continually comes up as det commanders try an give people time off but have no staff because of vacancies
 
I admit my understanding may be flawed, but I believe I read the staffing goal was four officers per shift. As others have mentioned, all the usual reasons for the empty shifts are acknowledged. Yet as a comparison, the Truro department is able to staff their needs.

The volunteer fire departments have zero (no) paid staff, not even the Chief. The community relies on 911 and the ability of a volunteer response.

Are you saying the RCMP county contract is down two members, or two members per shift (which is a lot)? As with most other police services, vacancies are often only part of the problem. Extended leaves don't show as vacancies but certainly impact deployment.
 
I admit my understanding may be flawed, but I believe I read the staffing goal was four officers per shift. As others have mentioned, all the usual reasons for the empty shifts are acknowledged. Yet as a comparison, the Truro department is able to staff their needs.

The volunteer fire departments have zero (no) paid staff, not even the Chief. The community relies on 911 and the ability of a volunteer response.
So without knowing the lay of the land there- but dealing with contracts in a minor way out west- There are different types of contracts . Truro would pay the larger portion of their policing and the rural would be paying less- so they staff the Truro first. I believe the rural would be a PPSA contract.

in the west several very violent communities pay less of their policing- so they often are staffed shorter and are way busier than a similar sized det that pays more of the percentage.

It’s all a shell game.

Kratz- do you happen to know the name
Of the detachment like what the name of the area of township would be? I can’t find it

Does east Hants district sound right?
 
The town of Truro has it's own PD, that community does not rely on an RCMP contract...well maybe some specialised services, but the entire proves does the same thing.

With the exception of Truro, the Municipality of Colchester comprises rural communities, including a retired CFS Debert, who's current RCMP contract is set to expire soon. The detachment is based out of 283 Pictou Rd, Bible Hill, NS.

Colchester is surrounded by East Hantz, Pictou and Cumberland.
 
Makes sense. That’s interesting thanks for the info- and so I was right out of ‘er with my understanding of the map. 🤐
 
So without knowing the lay of the land there- but dealing with contracts in a minor way out west- There are different types of contracts . Truro would pay the larger portion of their policing and the rural would be paying less- so they staff the Truro first. I believe the rural would be a PPSA contract.

in the west several very violent communities pay less of their policing- so they often are staffed shorter and are way busier than a similar sized det that pays more of the percentage.

It’s all a shell game.

Kratz- do you happen to know the name
Of the detachment like what the name of the area of township would be? I can’t find it

Does east Hants district sound right?

Around the area it started; there’s Bible Hill, Tatamagouche, Pictou, Oxford that would be closet I think. Mill Brook and Stewiake just south of Truro.

Parrsborro on the same side of the Bay as Portapique but…half hour drive down the road.

Not sure what the staffing is on any of them.
 
I posted this in the gun thread, but this may be more appropriate here:

Based on what I have seen, all the recommendations target the RCMP and licensed gun owners, but nothing appears to be said about the politicians who nickel and dimed police resources in the area for years. Or did I miss something?
 
I posted this in the gun thread, but this may be more appropriate here:

Based on what I have seen, all the recommendations target the RCMP and licensed gun owners, but nothing appears to be said about the politicians who nickel and dimed police resources in the area for years. Or did I miss something?
Our superior political class doesn’t need our opinions. The stupid worker class needs advice and recommendations.
 
I’m not sure what they answer you’ll get will be. But It is not unusual to only have two members covering that amount of space. So only two working- where there is supposed to be four on a “shift”. There are detachments presently at around 60% staffing.

There are other places where there will be only one working for a long distance- with their backup being the other lone officer doing their own huge space in a neighbouring area.

This is shut down when it is caught by the districts but it continually comes up as det commanders try an give people time off but have no staff because of vacancies
. . . or tried to manage coverage with overtime until (a) nobody wants it and/or (b) they get beat up for their overtime expenditures.

It's happening here as well.
 
. . . or tried to manage coverage with overtime until (a) nobody wants it and/or (b) they get beat up for their overtime expenditures.

It's happening here as well.
Man. I hated those meetings a few years ago.

“We ll pay overtime”

“Sir- that only works for limited time. That’s the emergency button. It can’t be practice”

Now officers don’t answer their phones at all. There is too much OT to be had. Don’t take the hard stuff.
 
Man. I hated those meetings a few years ago.

“We ll pay overtime”

“Sir- that only works for limited time. That’s the emergency button. It can’t be practice”

Now officers don’t answer their phones at all. There is too much OT to be had. Don’t take the hard stuff.
Oh man, no kidding. My area’s swimming in OT. I could do four day compressed workweeks and do 12 hour shifts Fri-Sat-Sun indefinitely if I wanted to. The bodies just aren’t there.
 
But what about the 'overdue makeover' that started in 2019, was there no progress made?


Canada’s Mounties get an overdue makeover​

Lately, the federal police force has not lived up to its image​



In july 1874, 275 members of a new mounted police force rode 1,300km (800 miles) across Canada’s prairies, from Dufferin, Manitoba, in search of “Fort Whoop-Up”, a trading post in what is now Alberta. Their mission was to stop Americans from swapping whiskey for buffalo hides with the local Blackfoot Indians. Indigenous Canadians along the route whispered that the horsemen’s red serge jackets were dyed with the blood of Queen Victoria’s enemies. An artist rode with the Mounties. His sketches were published in the Canadian Illustrated News.
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American journalists took up the myth-making, writing paeans to the 12 Mounties who bravely approached 2,000 Sioux warriors who had entered Canada after the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876, seeking their submission to Canadian law. Hollywood made more than 250 Mountie-themed movies from the 1900s to the 1950s, including “Rose Marie” in 1936, starring Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald (pictured above). The films created the image of a steel-jawed hero who brought the law into the wilderness.

No real-life police force could live up to such an image. Certainly, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (rcmp), formed by the merger in 1920 of the North-West Mounted Police with the Dominion Police, has not. Scandals over the past half-century have tripped it up. In the 1970s it conducted a dirty-tricks campaign against Quebec separatists, which included manufacturing evidence that separatists were acquiring explosives. It botched the investigation of the terrorist attack that destroyed an Air India plane in 1985. In the 2000s its top brass were caught rifling the pension fund.

Lately the rcmp has been engulfed by allegations of harassment, bullying and sexual misconduct. In July a female officer committed suicide after publicly complaining that she had been sexually harassed. In October 2016 the rcmp agreed to set aside C$100m ($75m) to settle a class-action suit brought by serving and former female officers, and apologised to them. Whistleblowers face abuse. One female officer said that she found a dead prairie chicken in her locker after making a complaint to senior officers in 2013 about verbal abuse. “It’s a crisis in leadership,” says Jane Hall, the head of the rcmp Veterans’ Women’s Council.

Until now, Canadian governments have been loth to reform an institution that has fiercely protected and marketed its image since its inception. In the 1870s constables who complained to the press could be sentenced to six months in prison. The rcmp sold marketing rights to its image to the Walt Disney Company in the mid-1990s, even as whistleblowers were being hounded out of the force. “Being an iconic organisation gives them a kind of pass,” says Christopher Murphy of Dalhousie University, who co-wrote a report in 2007 on rcmp governance.

That has not prevented all change. The rcmp allowed women to enlist in 1973 and handed domestic snooping to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in 1984. But, intimidated by the rcmp’s mythology and fearful of appearing to meddle in police work, Canadian governments have left the force largely alone.

The recent scandals have made that harder. On January 16th Ralph Goodale, Canada’s public-security minister, announced the first shake-up in the running of the rcmp since the creation of the intelligence service. It sets up a board of civilian experts who will advise the force’s commissioner, Brenda Lucki, on management (though not on police work). Such an “innovation in the structure of the rcmp” is a first for the force, boasted Mr Goodale. He said it would raise “the game in terms of quality of management”. Many independent experts had expected a bolder reform.

Canada needs a modernised rcmp. It is the country’s federal police force, fighting terrorism, organised crime and drug-trafficking and protecting the border. It is dealing with new challenges, such as opioids, cybercrime and new sorts of terrorism, Mr Goodale said. Its 30,000 members provide policing for eight of the ten provinces and for three territories. In 150 municipalities and 600 indigenous communities the Mounties act as the local police, issuing traffic fines and investigating burglaries.

Although their responsibilities have expanded, their structure and organisation are largely unchanged. The North-West Mounted Police was modelled on the Royal Irish Constabulary, created in 1836 to enforce British rule in Ireland. Other Canadian police forces brought in civilian managers beginning in the 1980s and now report either to a civilian commissioner or at least a civilian advisory board. The rcmp, by contrast, remains a military-style organisation, reporting directly to the public-security minister. Its recruiting practices have been compared to those of a religious order. People join the rcmp when they are very young, which helps the force shape them to its ethos. Often these recruits lack university degrees. When it comes to promotions, rank and seniority matter more than competence.

At least 15 reports in the past decade, including two commissioned by public-security ministers, have concluded that the force needs more civilians in senior jobs and an independent body to investigate allegations of harassment and sexual abuse. “The rcmp’s approach to training, career streaming, promotion, and education has long ensured that the wrong people often end up in the wrong job,” wrote Christian Leuprecht of the Royal Military College in a recent report.

The Mounties’ rank-and-file are demoralised by the recent bad publicity, confused by sporadic attempts to reform and overstretched. After three Mounties were killed by a gunman in 2014 in Moncton, in New Brunswick, a court found the rcmp guilty of failing to provide adequate training and equipment. The Mounties’ budget has risen (to C$3.6bn from C$2.9bn two years ago) but not in line with their duties, the force complains. It is having trouble recruiting. In 2017, 12% of positions were vacant.

Mr Goodale’s reforms represent progress, but are less ambitious than many observers had expected. The new 13-member advisory board, which requires legislation to become permanent, will advise Ms Lucki on all aspects of management, including human relations, information technology and procedures for dealing with harassment. But it cannot compel her to follow its advice. Mr Goodale said that as minister he could order her to heed it. Ms Lucki called the board “a critical step” towards reform.

Missing from Mr Goodale’s policy was the creation of an independent ombudsman to deal with bullying and intimidation, a recommendation by experts such as Ms Hall. Mr Goodale may be planning further measures this year.

Hollywood’s romance with the Mounties fizzled long ago. The last big Mountie-themed movie was Dudley Do-Right, released in 1999, which was based on a bumbling cartoon character of the 1960s who rode his horse (called “Horse”) backwards. Mr Goodale is no doubt hoping that his reforms will begin to point the Mounties in the right direction.

 
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