SEARCH TRAMPLES RIGHTS

The Editor,

Re: "Warrantless search raises questions" News, Feb. 5.

To say I was shocked at the story of what happened to the Jensen
family would be putting it mildly. Mr. Brodie has a lot of explaining
to do here. The City of Richmond has conducted 106 inspections and
found 60 grow-ops. That means 46 (or nearly the same number) of homes
were not grow-ops but just field trips for the RCMP? Mr. Brodie
states "the inspections are voluntary" -- yeah right! Voluntary
unless you need your hydro. When two aggressive, uniformed RCMP
officers show up at your door and demand to search your house, you're
going to tell them to "get lost" -- yeah right!

Of course asking for a search warrant would be futile when Mr. Brodie
has made it legal for police to search your house without one.
Furthermore, since when does a $200 a month electrical bill warrant a
search of your house? This is a huge bill? What city/province does
Mr. Brodie live in?

The Jensens stated that they kept all their lights on because they
had previously been the targets of thieves -- hello RCMP. There isn't
one house (including my own) on my block that hasn't been robbed --
hello RCMP. Cpl. Nycki Basra was even more revealing with her
ridiculous comment about officers having their hands on their guns
when they search your house because they happen to be on their belts
- -- hello RCMP.

Where are the people who were subjected to these 46 voluntary "field
trips" of the RCMP and were not guilty of anything but keeping their
homes warm? Why haven't they complained or have they? Are they people
on the fringe too afraid to say anything or perhaps do not understand
English as well, or are they just plain afraid of the RCMP and their
tactics? I would like to hear from them as well. I would also like to
thank the Jensen family for bringing this to the attention of all the
people of Richmond. Are we going to stand for this absolute
dismissing of our rights and freedoms to unreasonable searches of our
family homes? Mr. Brodie owes us an explanation, and he owes us one now.

This is Richmond, Canada Mr. Brodie, not some third world police
state where citizens are afraid of the police. Is this what you want
for Richmond?

Linda Cooper

Richmond