MP pushes anti-vandalism bill to protect public memorials to first responders
An Edmonton member of Parliament wants longer prison sentences for vandals who target monuments to first responders.
St. Albert-edmonton MP Michael Cooper is promoting the bill tabled in the Senate this week by Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos after monuments in a park dedicated to fallen Edmonton Police Service Const. Ezio Faraone were vandalized in September.
If passed, the bill will amend the mischief section of the Criminal Code. It will bring punishment of vandalism to first responder monuments in line with the longer sentences set for vandalizing war monuments and cultural property. Cultural property includes anything considered sacred to a group of people such as churches, mosques and archeological sites.
The new maximum sentence would be 10 years if the suspect is convicted of an indictable offence. If they are convicted under a summary disposition they could face up to 18 months in prison or a fine, Cooper said. He said the bill would also set mandatory punishments for first, second and third-time offenders. Current laws allow for vandals to be charged with mischief to property.
“Quite frankly, first responders put their lives on the line to protect our communities,” said Cooper. “They are heroes and such acts of vandalism cannot be tolerated. Individuals who perpetrate such reprehensible acts need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
In early September, statues and plaques at Const. Ezio Faraone Park honouring Edmonton police officers killed while on duty were found covered in black and white spray paint. Part of the graffiti said “F--- cops.” Photos of the graffiti circulated on social media before it was removed.
Faraone was killed when he was shot by a bank robber in 1990. Two years after his death, the park officially opened along with a statue that commemorates the fallen officer's work with youth, and plaques for other officers killed.
Cooper said he was “shocked and appalled” when he heard of the vandalism.
“Ezio Faraone is a hero in our community. Someone who, at a young age, paid the ultimate sacrifice for simply doing his job,” said Cooper. “To dishonour a fallen police officer who gave his life for doing his job, it's tough to describe in terms of just how reprehensible such an act is.”
Police monuments in Toronto and Calgary were vandalized earlier this year. Cooper said there has been a spike in these crimes in recent years. Shortly after the Edmonton memorial was vandalized, Premier Jason Kenney called for legal protections to be put in place to protect police memorials.
A 26-year-old man was arrested in relation to the vandalism at Ezio Faraone Park. His name has not been publicly released.