I support the police action on Locke

RE: LOCKE VANDALISM SPREE UNSETTLING FOR MANY GOOD REASONS (MARCH 7)

Just as 30 persons from some other group would have no right to march down the middle of Locke Street, while being masked and causing mischief to property, neither do the 30 persons from the so called “The Ungovernable.”

If that is the case, “why didn’t Hamilton Police Service (HPS) officers intervene”?

Was this inaction by the HPS to not engage or was it a form of proper action based on the procedures of the HPS for the situation, information received and until proper resources were in place? Whichever the reasoning. … it is a public relations nightmare for HPS.

I would expect that the HPS policies and procedures for protests have been developed and evolved from recommendations from the Toronto G20 SMAART (Summit Management After Action Review Team) and other security review reports (i.e. London and Sweden Police).

Policing have sought to liaise and work with protest groups to facilitate their protest and in a large majority of the times these protests go through peacefully without incident.

That is because the police were able to conduct dialogue policing. A mechanism where identified officer(s) are able to develop and maintain close links with protesters before and during the protest.

In this Locke St. scenario, recommended preventative practices by police were not able to be initiated because of the spontaneity of the action, the group and their relationship with police.

It maybe a hard pill to swallow by a majority of the public (including myself ) however based on the information at hand, the proper action to “not engage” was the correct decision by duty officer Insp. Paul Hamilton, for the safety of the public and the officers.

Windows and car mirrors can be fixed easily, broken bones and scars are more difficult.

I fully support the decision of the HPS. I trust they will utilize every investigative tool, skill and with the assistance of the good residents of Hamilton, specifically the Durand and Kirkendall neighbourhoods, these common criminals will be identified, arrested, charged and dealt with to the full extent of the law.

A.T. O’Grady, Hamilton