PUBLIC CRIES OUT FOR CHANGE

Dear Editor:

Re: What has happened to us?, Letters to the editor, The Record, July 23.

I agree with Mr. Hewitt regarding the unsavoury element of criminal
and drug infiltration in our communities and country. Safety, be it
in our streets, homes, businesses or anywhere, is of the utmost
importance in today's society.

The account in Mr. Hewitt's letter of police and emergency services
not having the authority to take a drug-induced, out-of-control, ill
person off the street to hospital because she declined to go is
unbelievably heart-sickening.

Police advised Mr. Hewitt that it is an offence to cause a
disturbance in public while drunk but not while high on drugs.

I am but an ordinary senior citizen and do not pretend to know law.
However, I am astonished that if police and emergency services
personnel cannot assist any one in such distress, surely our laws are
in desperate need of change.

At the June 23 New Westminster city council meeting, we viewed the
Downtown Business Association members request immediate assistance
with the violent drug-dealing and other criminal activities occurring
near or in front of their businesses. How heartened to hear the quick
response by council.

Council said that the very next morning an emergency meeting was
being held, and later measures were put in place to help these
citizens under attack by the ill and criminal element.

Since the June 23 council meeting, I have read that the downtown area
now has police bike patrols and a daily street-washing program over
the summer. A positive move.

How disappointing, then, to hear of the incident as described.

For several years now, society has witnessed all manner of disrespect
and uncivil behaviour to authority. The public and certainly police
and teachers have been the scapegoats of this uncivil behaviour.

It appears change to certain aspects of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms must seriously be considered by legal scholars and
politicians. The charter gave assent to liberal behaviour whereby
criminals insidiously dictate, through the courts, how our society
should be ruled.

The law-abiding public cries out for change. Who of our political
leaders will take up this most urgent challenge to society?

Freda Linstead,
New Westminster