Gun Violence

[canadian_conservative]

I know this would be better suited for provincial politics but I think this concerns the whole country.

Yesturday Police Chief Bill Blair of Toronto made a deccission a contriversal one to randomly search black teens. I honestly don't know what to think. If it is the majority of black teens commiting these crimes in Toronto than it should sway it a little and lower the crimes. The cons to it are I think this idea is kind of racist in a way to target only black teens. I think it could be any culture of a teenager black, white, native, and others that could just as well be commiting these crimes.

I think the solution to this is to randomly search all teenagers in Toronto that way it is all fair and if its white teenagers running aorund with guns killing people the cops in Toronto dont feel foolish and fail their city for searching the wrong colored teens.

Whats your take on this?

[mirror]

I read recently that airport security might have pay passengers $100. if they subjected them to a search and discovered nothing wrong. Perhaps we could implement the same sort of strategy for the police in Toronto. I would like the police officers to have to pay part of the money out of their own pocket though, to ensure there will be proper accountability.

[canadian_conservative]

I read recently that airport security might have pay passengers $100. if they subjected them to a search and discovered nothing wrong. Perhaps we could implement the same sort of strategy for the police in Toronto. I would like the police officers to have to pay part of the money out of their own pocket though, to ensure there will be proper accountability.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats a very good idea and I know that if I was targeted for a search when I was innocent I would want to be compensated but this would just cause an inificiency in searching. If the police had to pay out of their own pockets if they got the wrong person they would have to pay and I think that it would cause the police not to search anyone whihc would mean they would not search the guy carrying the gun.

[crazymf]

I gotta call bullcrap on searching blacks being racist. Being black is merely a common visibility. If a gang of muticultural people wearing yellow hats was at fault, nobody would complain about the cops identifying them by their hats.

Search away as long as their human rights are observed and it is done in professional and courteous manner. No one should dare to complain about that.

[canadian_conservative]

I gotta call bullcrap on searching blacks being racist. Being black is merely a common visibility. If a gang of muticultural people wearing yellow hats was at fault, nobody would complain about the cops identifying them by their hats.

Search away as long as their human rights are observed and it is done in professional and courteous manner. No one should dare to complain about that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Never was complaining, I think its a good idea I just had to consult with you guys to see what you thought about it.

[Toro]

They randomly search people at airports in the States because they cannot search Arab guys. Seems pretty silly to me to search grandmas, but I guess that's the price to pay in a tolerant society.

[mirror]

Well I think I heard that suicide bombers in the Middle East switched to females to avoid detection.

I have also heard stories about black people living in Scarborough who can't even go out for an exercise run without being stopped by the police.

I think we have tro be very careful; about giving the police any more powers than they already have.

[mirror]

Maybe a much better idea to control violence in Canada is to block American TV and movie violence from coming into our country:

Attacks on Homeless Prompt Outcry

Adams remained in critical condition Wednesday at County USC Medical Center. The two 19-year-old suspects said they were inspired by "Bumfights," a video showing homeless people fighting each other, according to police. The teenagers remained in custody Wednesday, a day after their arrest on suspicion of attempted murder.

[crazymf]

Or maybe parents should keep better tabs on their kids.

[mirror]

Or maybe parents should keep better tabs on their kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, that too!

[Guest eureka]

It likely would lower violence but that begs the question of fairness and civil rights. What is the trade off?

[cybercoma]

What about white kids that are a part of this "gang" culture that is rammed down teenagers' throats by the media?

[crazymf]

Or maybe parents should keep better tabs on their kids.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, that too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My grandfather used to say things like 'never change your horses in the middle of the stream' and 'hard work never hurt anybody'. There are getting to be less and less grandfathers around with the capability to instill conviction in their offspring and as a result I see a general decline in personal morals in this society. Sure, maybe it's a grandfather, mother, whoever, but as we get further and further away from the hard working people who travelled here from Europe and other places to build the country in the first place, the attitudes and behaviours of young people decline.

A lot of things being done, like searching people for instance, are mere bandaids for the real problem. Kids are being left to fend for themselves while both parents work to afford things they can't afford. And the comment about the media? Right on the money. That's who's raising the kids nowadays even more than before.

And the topic of this thread was about searching blacks in Toronto, but the subject is WAY deeper. To answer your simple question, no, it's not going to help at all.

[Argus]

What about white kids that are a part of this "gang" culture that is rammed down teenagers' throats by the media?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are they out shooting people? Nope.

The only danger from them is that you might laugh too hard at their ridiculously baggy pants dragging around their butts.

[Chimera]

Actually, Chief Blair did not institute this policy. It was recommended by a city councillor but has been denounced by the force.See this article.

The best way to curb this violence is for the police to get out of their damned cruisers and start walking the beat again. Build a rapport with the people in these troubled communities, help out with fundraisers, charity events, organize local sports tournaments etc. In this way, people will begin to see the police as people too, and start to trust them. Then the community will be willing to help them in confronting and ending the violence. Unfortunately, as my wife pointed out ot me, it's a dollars and cents thing. The city cannot afford this kind of manpower right now, and no one likes tax raises.

[canadian_conservative]

What about white kids that are a part of this "gang" culture that is rammed down teenagers' throats by the media?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are they out shooting people? Nope.

The only danger from them is that you might laugh too hard at their ridiculously baggy pants dragging around their butts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry about that Kimmy I jsut edited it now and am writing this message. You know as well as I know that people like him make this forum degenerating and its got to stop.

[kimmy]

What about white kids that are a part of this "gang" culture that is rammed down teenagers' throats by the media?

Are they out shooting people? Nope.

The only danger from them is that you might laugh too hard at their ridiculously baggy pants dragging around their butts.

Who asked for your oppinion argus? Just here to make trouble eh?

Was this post necessary?

Argus' post was relevant to the issue and makes a valid point. There is a world of difference between real "gangstas" and the fake "gangstas" who model their lives after rap music videos.

-k

[Argus]

Actually, Chief Blair did not institute this policy.  It was recommended by a city councillor but has been denounced by the force.See this article.

The best way to curb this violence is for the police to get out of their damned cruisers and start walking the beat again.  Build a rapport with the people in these troubled communities, help out with fundraisers, charity events, organize local sports tournaments etc.  In this way, people will begin to see the police as people too, and start to trust them.  Then the community will be willing to help them in confronting and ending the violence.  Unfortunately, as my wife pointed out ot me, it's a dollars and cents thing.  The city cannot afford this kind of manpower right now, and no one likes tax raises.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To say the least. I think I pointed out a month or two back that the ratio of police to citizens in Canada is among the lowest in the western world. We have 188 cops per 100k pop. That is 20% lower than in the United States and Australia, and about 25% lower than in England and Wales. The rate in Germany is 289 cops

per 100k, and in France, it's 381 per 100k. For Toronto to match France, for example, they would need to hire over 5,000 more police officers. Would 5,000 additional police officers have an impact on the policing and investigative success in Toronto? It'd take a lot of mismanagement not to.

BTW, Regina is highest at 207 per 100k, Abbotsford BC is lowest at 129