HOLY SMOKE BUST HITS ON BIGGER ISSUE

To the editor:

I have heard a lot of criticism of the Nelson City Police in the last
few weeks.

It is my belief that the call to investigate Holy Smoke came from on
high and is closely associated to the federal conservative government
(Prime Minister Steve Harper) and intervention from the D.E.A. (United
States).

We are seeing an alarming increase in the adoption of an American
style of democracy, one which erodes civil liberties and freedoms in
an effort to control the populace. We only have to look at Harper's
recent positions regarding same-sex marriage, medical marijuana,
mandatory minimums, Canada's participation in America's dirty work
abroad, Israel and his blatant attacks on the freedom of the press.

I have worked on many criminal cases as a legal assistant in a local
law office. These cases have involved police forces from the west
coast of British Columbia to Alberta. In my experience the Nelson
City Police force is one of the best. We have to remember we have a
good police force...but they need to be focused on the kinds of
criminal activity that deserve their full attention. Domestic
violence, alcohol related crime, property theft and a host of other
violent crimes that have significant affects on the victims. They
should not be burdened with investigations that are laughable to the
general public, especially when we are paying! This includes all
victimless crimes.

I am not trying to kiss the cops butts...but remind the public that we
are the ones responsible for directing the police and their
activities. They are, after all, public servants not policy makers.

If you are a taxpayer in the City of Nelson you are paying for the
police force, and in turn are also a director of policing policy.
Contact your city councillors, mayor, police force, police board,
member of the legislative assembly (MLA) and member of parliament if
you wish to have a say in the way police operate.

DUSTIN CANTWELL

Nelson, B.C.