Barry MacKnight is Back!
Barry MacKnight is to conduct the investigation into Saint John’s deputy chief, Glen McCloskey, who allegedly attempted to persuade an officer to conceal information while testifying under oath at the Oland trial. MacKnight was unable to manage his own Fredericton Police Force and retired in 2012 at the very young age of 49 years, under the large dark cloud of a failed attempt to criminally charge our Blogger, Charles LeBlanc, with the unconstitutional section 301 of the Criminal Code.
MacKnight’s lack of competence and leadership resulted in complaints against the FPF rising to an incredible high in 2010-2011, when the NB Police Commission received 129 complaints against its Chief and officers. Second place went to the Miramichi police, with around 9 complaints. MacKnight’s legacy continued under Chief Fitch, who has failed to regain control of the FPF and, again, has the highest number of suspended and criminally charged officers in New Brunswick.
If you want to whitewash the misconduct of dirty cops in this province appoint a FPF officer, or ex-officer. Chief Fitch created a report in 2014 that exonerated the Codiac RCMP for shooting and killing Daniel Levesque.
Chief Fitch’s report said Levesque died of prior knife wounds, not the bullets the RCMP pumped into him. Funny thing though, he was upright and moving until they shot him four times in quick succession, after which he never moved again.
Just two weeks after Fitch announced her findings Justin Bourque snapped, and went on the rampage that killed three Moncton RCMP officers. Bourque and Levesque were well acquainted. Justin’s friends believe he went out for revenge, following the release of Fitch’s findings (the report was not made public). Speculating whether Fitch’s report triggered Justin Bourque’s actions affirms the potential for disastrous outcomes, when police do not conduct themselves honestly, ethically and according to the law, and when those responsible fail to properly regulate, investigate and manage them – including mayors, the Minster of Public Safety and the Police Commission.
Police chiefs should never be involved with investigating complaints against one of their own officers. Police in New Brunswick should also not be investigating other police in New Brunswick. They are a band of brothers and protect each other. The proposed changes to the NB Police Act are, in the main, a disaster and do nothing to bring significant and necessary change.
The existing NB Police Act is sufficient to require officers to conduct themselves appropriately and for the Public Safety Minister, NB Police Commission and Chiefs of police to resolve conduct, service and policy complaints. The problem is, not one of them is doing their job properly and our Minister for Public Safety, Stephen Horsman, operates in a huge conflict of interests, since he is an ex-FPF cop. After 25 years in the Fredericton Force he never made it past corporal. He is not leadership material and he cannot impartially administer his ministerial duties relating to police in this province.
The Police Commission has just exonerated Chief Fitch and seven of her officers for their conduct in the Jeff Smiley investigation and charges.
Justice David Walker ruled the Fredericton Police and RCMP involved were “sloppy” to say the least, and their “investigation” failed in every way. The Police Commission has decided it is okay for the FPF to negligently investigate, criminally charge one of their own, when they had no authority, and spend a huge amount of public money to do that. This decision comes one week before Smiley’s Police Commission hearings at the Wu Centre. I predict Smiley will be found guilty of misconduct, in spite of Justice Walker’s findings.
Our provincial law enforcement and justice systems are broken, from the top to the bottom, and each of the players is hiding the wrongdoing of the others. Changing the Police Act isn’t going to fix that – the law will still be ignored by the same people who are ignoring it now. There is no transparency and no honesty in the very agents and officials charged, by law, with protecting our rights and freedoms.
I suggest people go to the NB Police Commission’s website and view the proposal to change the Police Act. It is not only written very poorly, it suggests changes that would be pointless and regressive.
http://www.nbpolicecommission.ca/site/images/POLICE_ACT_REVIEW_-_Commission_Position_September_2015_Final_Version.pdf
Chief Fitch’s report said Levesque died of prior knife wounds, not the bullets the RCMP pumped into him. Funny thing though, he was upright and moving until they shot him four times in quick succession, after which he never moved again.
Just two weeks after Fitch announced her findings Justin Bourque snapped, and went on the rampage that killed three Moncton RCMP officers. Bourque and Levesque were well acquainted. Justin’s friends believe he went out for revenge, following the release of Fitch’s findings (the report was not made public). Speculating whether Fitch’s report triggered Justin Bourque’s actions affirms the potential for disastrous outcomes, when police do not conduct themselves honestly, ethically and according to the law, and when those responsible fail to properly regulate, investigate and manage them – including mayors, the Minster of Public Safety and the Police Commission.
Police chiefs should never be involved with investigating complaints against one of their own officers. Police in New Brunswick should also not be investigating other police in New Brunswick. They are a band of brothers and protect each other. The proposed changes to the NB Police Act are, in the main, a disaster and do nothing to bring significant and necessary change.
The existing NB Police Act is sufficient to require officers to conduct themselves appropriately and for the Public Safety Minister, NB Police Commission and Chiefs of police to resolve conduct, service and policy complaints. The problem is, not one of them is doing their job properly and our Minister for Public Safety, Stephen Horsman, operates in a huge conflict of interests, since he is an ex-FPF cop. After 25 years in the Fredericton Force he never made it past corporal. He is not leadership material and he cannot impartially administer his ministerial duties relating to police in this province.
The Police Commission has just exonerated Chief Fitch and seven of her officers for their conduct in the Jeff Smiley investigation and charges.
Justice David Walker ruled the Fredericton Police and RCMP involved were “sloppy” to say the least, and their “investigation” failed in every way. The Police Commission has decided it is okay for the FPF to negligently investigate, criminally charge one of their own, when they had no authority, and spend a huge amount of public money to do that. This decision comes one week before Smiley’s Police Commission hearings at the Wu Centre. I predict Smiley will be found guilty of misconduct, in spite of Justice Walker’s findings.
Our provincial law enforcement and justice systems are broken, from the top to the bottom, and each of the players is hiding the wrongdoing of the others. Changing the Police Act isn’t going to fix that – the law will still be ignored by the same people who are ignoring it now. There is no transparency and no honesty in the very agents and officials charged, by law, with protecting our rights and freedoms.
I suggest people go to the NB Police Commission’s website and view the proposal to change the Police Act. It is not only written very poorly, it suggests changes that would be pointless and regressive.
http://www.nbpolicecommission.ca/site/images/POLICE_ACT_REVIEW_-_Commission_Position_September_2015_Final_Version.pdf
129 complaints in one year? The FPF only has around 110 officers. That is REALLY poor.
ReplyDeleteVery well said. Just imagine what this is costing the taxpayers Our Legal System, lives on
ReplyDeleteguilty pleas. As I see it there are only two judges in N.B. who fairly look at the underdog as recommended . I would say this is the time for a clean-up so we can truthfully call it a Justice System.
One thing the New Brunswick Police Commission proposes is to pay lawyers more money to arbitrate hearings and to be able to do it by telephone!!! The five days of arbitration hearings for Jeff Smiley, scheduled for next week, will cost tax payer $750 a day for the arbitrator - added to the costs of renting the Wu Centre, police chief and witnesses, then the costs of reports etc, this is going to cost thousands of unnecessary dollars. No wonder this government is heading for bankruptcy. It's all about giving money to lawyers - much like our courts and justice system.
ReplyDelete