Pubdate: Wed, 13 Feb 2008
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Matthew M. Elrod
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n146/a09.html

GROW-OP NOT LIKE MAYERTHORPE

Contrary to columnist Iain Hunter's recollections, a botched 
"grow-op" raid in Surrey that resulted in seized cannabis plants 
being ruled inadmissible was not analogous to the botched stakeout in 
Mayerthorpe, Alta. ("Judges must think police work in a fantasy world," Feb 9).

In Mayerthorpe, the grow-op was incidental to the investigation and 
entry into buildings had been made many hours before the four police 
officers were fatally ambushed.

The botched raid in Surrey was more like the botched raid of the 
vessel MV Bakur off the coast of B.C. in 2006, in which 1,630 
kilograms of cannabis found onboard was ruled inadmissible due to 
improper police procedures.

Thankfully, the botched raid in Surrey was not like a botched raid in 
Abbotsford in 1999, when police burst into a child's birthday party 
with guns drawn and shot the family dog, or a botched raid in North 
Vancouver in 1994, when police entered the home of Daniel Possee and 
shot him dead for brandishing a remote control, or the botched raid 
in Montreal last year, in which the occupant mistook the police for 
home invaders and fatally shot police Const. Daniel Tessier, a 
42-year-old father of two.

Matthew M. Elrod

Victoria
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