Calgary Sun
CALGARY (CP) -- Lax sentencing has contributed to an increase in assaults on police officers in the province, says an Alberta politician.
A recent rash of attacks on police officers in the Calgary area highlights a growing disregard for law enforcement, said Art Hanger, the MP for Calgary Northeast.
“The violent, criminal element has taken on a new dimension now and I believe there is less respect for police officers than there has been in the past,” said the Conservative member of parliament and retired police officer.
In July, an off-duty RCMP officer was beaten unconscious near his Calgary home by two teenaged boys after he told a group of teens who were drinking in an alley to clean up their mess.
A few days earlier, a Calgary police officer on motorcycle patrol was run off the road in a hit-and-run.
Also that month, a man suspected of vehicle theft dislocated the shoulder of an officer during a scuffle.
On July 30, a Canmore RCMP officer’s residence was the target of two home invasions during which two men attacked the officer’s girlfriend and dog.
Many police associations -- including Calgary’s -- believe too many judges go light on people convicted of attacking officers, while Crown prosecutors are inclined to drop police assault charges in exchange for guilty pleas on other matters.
“The message has to be sent from the courts that if you attack or interfere with an officer you’ll face a stiff penalty,” said Dale Kinnear, director of labour services for the Canadian Professional Police Association in Ottawa.
Manfooz Kanwar, a sociology instructor at Mount Royal College, says the problem shouldn’t be left up to police.
“Society as a whole needs to be concerned about this trend. If we don’t get it under control we’re in big trouble because police are a symbol of social control.”