Let's Talk about the Calgary Police Service

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

The vast majority of police interactions with the public are not with criminals. Though your comment does expose the difference between police culture in North America and in Europe. Here, they're meant to be an intimidating tough guys ready to take down law-breakers. In Europe, they're meant to preserve the peace by public consent.

I never feel intimidated by them. Don't we want them to be a little tough? seems like everyone wants to be coddled these days. You don't think they are preserving the peace just because they have black and white cars? This is silly. Why do t they drive pink cars, instead of guns and tasers they're armed with compliments and warm fuzzy feelings lol

[RinkRat]

We live in a world where colour schemes mean "Fear and intimidation" I guess. This same topic came up in the last police thread as well.

A relative of mine was on the committee for the colour scheme. It came down to reduced costs cause yes that does matter and most of them liked that look better.

I believe they also determined the new light bar at the same time. My favorite feature is the drain in the back seat for hosing out the vomit and other substances.


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[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

I never feel intimidated by them. Don't we want them to be a little tough? seems like everyone wants to be coddled these days. You don't think they are preserving the peace just because they have black and white cars? This is silly. Why do t they drive pink cars, instead of guns and tasers they're armed with compliments and warm fuzzy feelings lol

Frankly, I'd rather our police culture to be more like Europe than like the U.S. I was genuinely astonished the first time I went to Europe in '89 and saw police that were normal sized men and woman who weren't strutting around with guns and cuffs conspicuously displayed. And I didn't notice criminals running rampant in the absence of the threat of an ass-kicking from cops.

The culture and methods of policing are changing. Enforcement through intimidation is out, community policing is in. It's just gonna take some time for the culture to change.

Again, the thing to keep in mind is only a fraction of police interactions with citizens are with violent criminals. Hiring and training strictly on the basis of 10 per cent of police work is not good policy.

[Flames_Gimp]

I just don't see where intimidation comes in. Who are they intimidating? they aren't displaying their guns as intimidation, they need quick access to them.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

I just don't see where intimidation comes in. Who are they intimidating? they aren't displaying their guns as intimidation, they need quick access to them.

Weren't you the one who said you want them intimidating?

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Weren't you the one who said you want them intimidating?

someone is arguing that they deal more with regular citizens and that they are intimidating, in general. I don't see it . I like them to intimidate the criminals... but as a law abiding citizen I don't feel intimidated.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

someone is arguing that they deal more with regular citizens and that they are intimidating, in general. I don't see it . I like them to intimidate the criminals... but as a law abiding citizen I don't feel intimidated.

Ah, I see what you were saying now. Sorry, misinterpreted.

[Zulu29]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Frankly, I'd rather our police culture to be more like Europe than like the U.S. I was genuinely astonished the first time I went to Europe in '89 and saw police that were normal sized men and woman who weren't strutting around with guns and cuffs conspicuously displayed. And I didn't notice criminals running rampant in the absence of the threat of an ass-kicking from cops.

The culture and methods of policing are changing. Enforcement through intimidation is out, community policing is in. It's just gonna take some time for the culture to change.

Again, the thing to keep in mind is only a fraction of police interactions with citizens are with violent criminals. Hiring and training strictly on the basis of 10 per cent of police work is not good policy.

You're kind of cherry picking here. I've said this before and I'll say it again, European nations (excluding a few like Great Britain and Ireland) have paramilitary police with fully automatic rifles patrolling major tourist centres, airports, public transit etc. There is one place in Canada where police openly carry military style rifles all the time and that's Parliament hill.

The typical uniform cop in Canada carries a gun on their hip, a baton, pepper spray and handcuffs, sometimes a taser. The reason the gun is on the hip is because it's absolutely useless if it's in the trunk of your car and someone pulls a knife on you during a traffic stop or some other spontaneously violent situation. It happens more frequently than you would expect. Even the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary started having their members carry firearms on their person rather than in the trunk of their car years ago.

It's not pleasant but that's the way it is.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

You're kind of cherry picking here. I've said this before and I'll say it again, European nations (excluding a few like Great Britain and Ireland) have paramilitary police with fully automatic rifles patrolling major tourist centres, airports, public transit etc. There is one place in Canada where police openly carry military style rifles all the time and that's Parliament hill.

Is it cherry picking or talking about the average experience? If you live in Europe and don't frequent major tourist attractions, which are stationed with an armed unit, on a daily basis, is your day-to-day experience with police likely to bring you into contact with an armed officer?

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by RinkRat

We live in a world where colour schemes mean "Fear and intimidation" I guess. This same topic came up in the last police thread as well.

A relative of mine was on the committee for the colour scheme. It came down to reduced costs cause yes that does matter and most of them liked that look better.

I believe they also determined the new light bar at the same time. My favorite feature is the drain in the back seat for hosing out the vomit and other substances.


Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

New colour scheme was also well received when it was first launched. I didn't read anything about people getting scared by it until this year. Such an odd complaint.

I do agree with whoever said they prefer the hi-vis cars in the UK though

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Zulu29

You're kind of cherry picking here. I've said this before and I'll say it again, European nations (excluding a few like Great Britain and Ireland) have paramilitary police with fully automatic rifles patrolling major tourist centres, airports, public transit etc. There is one place in Canada where police openly carry military style rifles all the time and that's Parliament hill.

The typical uniform cop in Canada carries a gun on their hip, a baton, pepper spray and handcuffs, sometimes a taser. The reason the gun is on the hip is because it's absolutely useless if it's in the trunk of your car and someone pulls a knife on you during a traffic stop or some other spontaneously violent situation. It happens more frequently than you would expect. Even the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary started having their members carry firearms on their person rather than in the trunk of their car years ago.

It's not pleasant but that's the way it is.

Thank you. It's true. Well, it sure is in Italy, anyway. Walk around any city for a day, and you'll see the Carabineiri guarding important buildings with machine guns strapped over their shoulders and held with at least one hand at all times. Day or night. Guys with machine guns. In the great land of Europe, the land we should be like? Didn't the Liberals once run a campaign against Harper because he wanted to put GUNS. ON OUR STREETS.??!

And to be clear, the Carabineiri aren't like the fuzzy hat guards at Buckingham, they're military police with police cars, and they come and go, and they're driving around, but some of them get stuck with guard duty standing in one place for a shift. They have machine guns. They look like that horrible rendering in 2 Stoned Birds' signature.

[4X4]

Don't be afraid of the Carabinieri, though. You just walk past them, and try not to get your coat hooked on the muzzle of their gun, as some of the sidewalks are narrow and crowded. They're ok.

[llwhiteoutll]

...

[FireGilbert]

Agreed the new cop cars look more intimidating and militarized.

In my time in Calgary I had plenty of good interactions with the police however also had a bad one which tarnished my view of the force. It is a great example of how one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

Also, I'm white and once had a gun pointed at me by a black officer! Crazy!

[Zarley]

Police cars are traditionally black and white and the CPS had this paint scheme in the 1950s. Not only is the new livery superior to the old one from a design standpoint, the cars are significantly more visible given the increased contrast. To say that black and white was chosen to be more intimidating is a massive stretch.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

In my time in Calgary I had plenty of good interactions with the police however also had a bad one which tarnished my view of the force. It is a great example of how one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

I thought that we weren't supposed to/shouldn't judge a group/religion/gathering/division of people by a couple of bad experiences with members of them anymore.

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

I thought that we weren't supposed to/shouldn't judge a group/religion/gathering/division of people by a couple of bad experiences with members of them anymore.

Cops aren't people!

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Agreed the new cop cars look more intimidating and militarized.

In my time in Calgary I had plenty of good interactions with the police however also had a bad one which tarnished my view of the force. It is a great example of how one bad apple can ruin the bunch.

Also, I'm white and once had a gun pointed at me by a black officer! Crazy!

so what was the premise that you had a gun pointed at you?

[para transit fellow]

When did CPS start putting the " Vigilence.... ". motto on vehicles?

[2Stonedbirds]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Thank you. It's true. Well, it sure is in Italy, anyway. Walk around any city for a day, and you'll see the Carabineiri guarding important buildings with machine guns strapped over their shoulders and held with at least one hand at all times. Day or night. Guys with machine guns. In the great land of Europe, the land we should be like? Didn't the Liberals once run a campaign against Harper because he wanted to put GUNS. ON OUR STREETS.??!

And to be clear, the Carabineiri aren't like the fuzzy hat guards at Buckingham, they're military police with police cars, and they come and go, and they're driving around, but some of them get stuck with guard duty standing in one place for a shift. They have machine guns. They look like that horrible rendering in 2 Stoned Birds' signature.

8 bit machine guns? On our streets?