Police seek answers on pot enforcement
Ottawa police Chief Charles Bordeleau says federal marijuana legislation continues to leave law enforcement officials in the dark about what officers are expected to police and how.
“What we’re concerned about is having access to the tools, the education and the funding in order to train our officers to apply this new law,” Bordeleau said Monday, before a police board meeting, in his first public comments on the legislation.
Bordeleau said that he and other police chiefs across the country are still reviewing the legislation, which was unveiled on April 13.
Chiefs are pleased to see “a strengthening of the impaired driving laws” that will give police more powers, Bordeleau said.
But there are hurdles, too. Mainly, what will be the role of the police and what will fall to other state controls?
“There’s a lot of downloading that’s going to take place to the provinces. How the distribution network is going to be set up is still a big question. Who’s going to do the enforcement of these distribution centres?” Bordeleau said.
Monday’s meeting also saw police board members question Bordeleau on allegations that the police service is not doing enough to stop what an abortion clinic on Bank Street says have been years of harassment and intimidation from protesters.
Bordeleau reiterated that a city bylaw enacted in 2001 for “special events” demonstrations that require a permit does spell out that protesters are supposed to be across the street from locations targeted by the demonstration. But that bylaw was meant to refer to places such as embassies where mass demonstrations would occur.
The protests at the Morgentaler Clinic, which occur right outside the front door, typically consist of much smaller numbers and don’t require a permit.
Bordeleau said there were 19 calls for service at the Morgentaler Clinic last year, and six so far this year. He said police have to balance the clinic’s request for police assistance with constitutional rights to expression and assembly.
What we’re concerned about is having access to the tools, the education and the funding in order to train our officers.