Pubdate: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2013 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor.html Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: David Marsden ARMED OFFICERS ON SKIS IS A DOPEY IDEA There's no shortage of Mounties who volunteer in their community, bless 'em, but do they really need to give their time to whooshing down the ski slopes in uniform while carrying their sidearms? If crime was rampant at the local ski hills, presumably the resort owners would call in the RCMP themselves, or the police supervisors down at the detachment would schedule constables for a few well-timed patrols in an effort to restore order. Sgt. Jeff Campbell of the Lake Louise RCMP detachment predicts this season's volunteer patrol program will grow beyond the 15 officers who spent their time on the slopes last year and move to include more resorts in the Canadian Rockies. Given such resolve and enthusiasm, you'd think crime was rampant, but it turns out that only one drug seizure was made last year, along with several warnings for reckless skiing. Really, so now we need police officers packing heat to put the kibosh on patrons who don't show common courtesy by following the rules of the hill? More puzzling yet, perhaps, is that single drug seizure. Snuffing out pot smokers, after all, is one of the stated aims of the initiative. The patrollers' meagre statistic suggests marijuana use isn't that prevalent, or worse, that Mounties are indifferent to those lighting up a joint after having cited it as a concern. If the latter is the case, then the lack of enforcement is likely to further encourage people to disobey the law, and risk bringing the reputation of the RCMP into disrepute. If RCMP members want to enjoy a day in the sun while doing a good deed, why not join the existing ski patrols that keep a watchful eye on skiers on many of the local mountains? As peace officers, police always have the power to make an arrest if circumstances demand it, even without the trappings of their trade. Their civilian colleagues on the ski patrol will be aware of their presence and no doubt seek their assistance if trouble arises or there's a need for their expertise. In fact, the knowledge that officers are among the other patrol members might engender even greater observance of the rules, in the same way some lead-footed drivers on the highway slow down if they believe the car behind them could be an unmarked police cruiser. The aim of groups such as the Canadian Ski Patrol Association is safety, however, not law enforcement - something it has been doing since the 1940s. There are 170 members in the Calgary zone alone trained in advanced first aid and accident scene management. They offer their services at hills such as Canada Olympic Park, Lake Louise, Nakiska and Mount Norquay. Frankly, there should be no need for such a visual police presence on ski hills in search of pot smokers and patrons imbibing in a clandestine swig from a flask. RCMP members don't, as a general rule, volunteer their time to other businesses - to movie theatres and waterslides, for instance - to enforce the law. You don't see police officers sidling up to the bar at the local pub nursing a glass of water on their day off, silently counting the number of drinks the patron across the way consumes. For that matter, you didn't hear of police officers donating their time at the shopping areas west of Calgary before Christmas, so they could stroll through the parking lot to make sure grinches weren't checking unlocked cars for gifts and other valuables. The entire notion of volunteerism is personal, of course. Some folks choose to give through their church, others through the food bank or serving as a Scout leader. But the idea that police would feel giving up their day off to keep an eye out for transgressions such as pot use on the slopes is odd, especially considering that great numbers of Canadians favour legalizing or decriminalizing its use. Even the hard-nosed federal Tories have signalled they're open to liberalizing the laws when it comes to marijuana. So while no one can ask the well-meaning Mounties to give their time to other causes - say, fighting the bullying of teens or the abuse of other vulnerable citizens - perhaps it's fair to recommend they enjoy a day on the slopes out of uniform. Policing, it's said, is a demanding occupation, and like the rest of us, they deserve a day away from the office. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom