THE POLICE OFFICERS MUST RECEIVE THEIR MARCHING ORDERS

What the Vancouver cops did during an East side home drug raid -- reported
on our front page yesterday -- was not illegal.

What they did under oath to cover up their antics was another matter: They
perjured themselves.

The scandalous conduct of the city police didn't end there: Instead of
rushing to assure the public that matters would be investigated, and heads
would roll, the big guns ran for cover. Both police chief Terry Blythe and
police board chairman Mayor Philip Owen were too cowardly to face our
questions.

They sent out their media liaison officer instead -- not to address the
issue of wrongdoing within their ranks -- but to point an accusatory finger
at the judge.

For the record; we're not talking your routine rap on the knuckles from a
cranky bench; provincial court judge Herbert Weitzel paid close attention to
the sworn statements of the five cops -- one a sergeant with 22 years
service -- before concluding that what they told him "was completely lacking
in credibility."

In layperson's terms, the officers told a pack of lies - under oath.

And, as lame and full of holes as their evidence was, the fivesome would
have had to corroborate their stories before being called to testify -- a
serious breach in itself.

Indeed, taking pictures, dumping liquor and spraying shaving cream around
the accused's apartment, was unprofessional, even 'childish,' according to
the judge.

But it might not have counted as serious enough to cause the court to halt
the trial and put an end to the drug charges.

No, it was the barrage of "I-swear-I-didn't-do-it," I-swear-I-can't-recall"
and "I-swear I-never-saw-anything" from officers sworn to uphold the law
that prompted the judge to take such an exceptionally extreme step.

Here's what he said: "What is striking ... is the totality of the police's
conduct which amounts to serious improprieties; the conduct not only at the
premise but as well the conduct in the course of giving their evidence."

That was said almost four weeks ago -- the point being that the city's new
chief has had plenty of time to leap into action to preserve the public's
trust in the honour and integrity of his officers.

Instead -- silence.

In fact, if the VPD can be believed, no one knew about the court's finding
of impropriety, possible perjury by its officers, until yesterday's story in
The Province. At 6 p.m. last night, media representative Anne Drennan was
still maintaining that no action would be taken until the chief had had a
chance to read the court transcript and complete an internal investigation.

Not good enough, boss.

You must pull these officers from active duty immediately -- give them a
desk job, or send them home, whatever.

But get rid of them.

They haven't a scrap of credibility left. There's no way they should be
chasing criminals, responding to victims' calls of crime, maintaining law
and order or dictating what's right and wrong until you can persuade us they
know the difference.