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. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D