Pubdate: Thu, 26 Apr 2012
Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608
Author: Peter O'Neil

FAITH IN POLICE HAS PLUNGED AMONG CANADIANS, SAYS POLL

National Figures Dragged Down By B.C., After String Of Mountie
Scandals

Canadians' faith in their police has plunged by more than 50 % in the
past 15 years, and British Columbians have by far, the least
confidence among Canadians in local and provincial policing, according
to the findings of a new poll.

The survey of a little more than 1,000 Canadians, conducted in late
March by Angus Reid Public Opinion, found that roughly four of 10
Canadians have confidence in the RCMP, municipal forces and the
provincial police forces in Ontario and in Quebec.

That compares to more than 80% of Canadians who expressed confidence
in police in 1997, when pollster Angus Reid first posed the question.

The national figures have been dragged down by respondents in B.C.,
where the Mounties have experienced a string of public-relations
disasters in recent years.

Just 27 % of British Columbians polled said they have faith in the
RCMP, while only 28 % said they have confidence in their municipal
police forces. Both figures are the lowest in the country.

Criminologist Neil Boyd at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby cited a
string of RCMP failures in B.C. - the bungling over several years of
the Robert Pickton serial murder investigation, the accidental
Tasering death in 2007 of Robert Dziekanski and more recent sexual
harassment allegations by female Mounties against their male
counterparts - for the collapse in public faith in police.

Nationally, municipal police forces have the confidence of 39% of
Canadians, while the provincial police forces in Ontario and Quebec
have the backing of 44% and 40% of respondents in those provinces,
respectfully.

The poll, conducted in March, also looked at broader public attitudes
toward justice issues in Canada, the U.S. and Britain.

Boyd said the poll's findings suggest public disagreement with
elements of the Harper government's recent crime bill, which include
minimum sentences for non-violent offences, such as drug trafficking
involving possession of as few as six marijuana plants.
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