New anti-gang legislation is expected be introduced by the B.C. government today to make secret compartments in vehicles illegal, the Vancouver Sun has learned.Read the rest here.
The law is expected to target those manufacturing the clandestine compartments that gangsters have been using to stash firearms and other contraband.
New regulations for the purchase of armoured vehicles are also part of the legislation, creating a licensing process similar to one the government passed for body armour last year.
The proposed legislation follows police criticism of the increasing numbers of compartments they are discovering in vehicles belonging to gang members or others connected to organized crime.
The compartments are often extremely sophisticated and increase the dangers facing law- enforcement officers, as they allow criminals to conceal guns and ammunition.
Now, correct me if I'm wrong. But wouldn't you already have to search a vehicle in order to find a secret compartment? And in order to search a vehicle, wouldn't you already need probably cause?
In other words, this sounds like a piece of legislation that would allow police to bring in people that they suspect of being gang members and being involved in 'illicit' drugs and weapons, even if they can't conclusively prove that these people are gang members who are involved in 'illicit' drugs and weapons.
In other, other words, this legislation sounds like a back-door solution to the problem of, you know, actually having to prove anyone guilty of a crime. I appreciate how difficult it must be to be a police officer, but this isn't the way to go about finding a solution.
7 comments:
why not just criminalize the illegal usage of it? Rather then the compartments themselves?
Many of those compartments exist to save or better utilize otherwise unused space or keep things discreet and out of the way.
I don't know, it just seems a bit over board. I counld already think of a few counter arguments to what I'm saying but I'm too lazy to bother now.
I just think this is one of those things that, ultimately, is only used to make the cops' jobs easier - which is not what we're here to do...
Walker, I think we should make the cops jobs easier. Let's decriminalize drugs and let basic supply/demand cut all the money out of the equation. The gangs will be left looking for jobs once their funding disapperas, and the cops can stop worrying about the whole mess. It sure is a waste of time and money all around. And no, I don't want drugs decriminalized so I can use them. I've never touched the stuff, and never will. I just don't feel the need to tell everyone else how to live.
The State is doing more for this special interest group and building a police state one codified rule at a time. How about outlawing gang membership - automatic 10 years. Crime with a gun- automatic 20 years. Not a citizen - automatic deportation. No it is much easier to disarm and instill fear in the regular law abiding (read taxpayer) than actually enforce our current criminal code.
Anon - precisely! I'm a big legalization/decriminalization fan, for just those reasons. Once you legalize something and place market incentives and qualities on it, you make the practice much, much safer.
Skyhook - sadly, you're right. It's easier to go that route than it is to actually focus on the real issues.
Another law that harasses the average guy more than a thug. I may want a secret compartment in a vehicle to hid money while travelling etc. Why don't we limit immigration, stop immigration from certain countries, make getting citizenship a lot more difficult, and them make illegal gun ownership and its usage a bigger crime. Those changes would do more than harassing average citizens that try to protect themselves from the criminals in the first place. Besides, what is next? A law that concealing private property at home is illegal too? (real conservative)
RC - oh man, don't give them ideas!
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