Unsettling lack of Transparency from RCMP and media

[Because_They_Lie]

I know what feedback I will get from posting these thoughts, however I feel that I have a valid concern.

My concern is the growing situations in which the North Okanagan RCMP are involved in, in the public domain, with guns drawn and citizens being requested (told) to not attend a certain public location or to remain inside their homes or out of their neighborhoods.

We had the Coldstream incident a couple of weeks ago where people were not allowed back into the neighborhood and others not allowed out of their homes. Last night there was more police presence in Vernon with guns drawn yet still no information forth coming. Today we are being asked to not attend Polson Park, again with zero information.

This is not right, yes the RCMP have a job to do, but they must keep tax payers and those who dwell properly abreast of their activities and the why's of their activities - to be held accountable.

I realize most will side with the RCMP, claiming if the RCMP provide information to the public that it could jeopardize their efforts.

Well, that's good not enough anymore.

I call for transparency of RCMP's activities.

[Fancy]

Last night there was more police presence in Vernon with guns drawn yet still no information forth coming. Today we are being asked to not attend Polson Park, again with zero information.

How many times are you going to bring this up? There was a stabbing - now you know.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#219067

I call for transparency of RCMP's activities.

What would you like? The RCMP come to you and explain what is going on (when they haven't attended the incident yet and don't know themselves) before a preliminary investigation has been conducted? Makes zero sense.

[Ingevan22]

Do you worry this is because the RCMP are deliberately holding back information (to be less transparent), or because they have only so many resources to respond to the active situation, or because we all expect to know more, in this day and age?

Just thinking, we all likely expect more up-to-date notifications now, because any member of the public can post to social media to share in just a few seconds, so it seems as if the RCMP & media are lagging behind? Now that Castanet is reposting within minutes, exactly what folks post on local Facebook groups, perhaps we feel even more of a disconnect?

Pretty sure the RCMP also monitor social media, although they may not engage much - again, probably due to a lack of resources, not a lack of interest in transparency.

I worry more about the lack of transparency at City Hall (or what would you call rolling irrigation rates back to 2013 for only certain golf courses while approving a 3% increase for residents' drinking water?).

[the truth]

I know what feedback I will get from posting these thoughts, however I feel that I have a valid concern.

My concern is the growing situations in which the North Okanagan RCMP are involved in, in the public domain, with guns drawn and citizens being requested (told) to not attend a certain public location or to remain inside their homes or out of their neighborhoods.

We had the Coldstream incident a couple of weeks ago where people were not allowed back into the neighborhood and others not allowed out of their homes. Last night there was more police presence in Vernon with guns drawn yet still no information forth coming. Today we are being asked to not attend Polson Park, again with zero information.

This is not right, yes the RCMP have a job to do, but they must keep tax payers and those who dwell properly abreast of their activities and the why's of their activities - to be held accountable.

I realize most will side with the RCMP, claiming if the RCMP provide information to the public that it could jeopardize their efforts.

Well, that's good not enough anymore.

I call for transparency of RCMP's activities.

you should be more concerned about -all- the scumbag criminals out there, just let the cops do there job

[Bsuds]

So the OP is totally against cameras in public areas but insists on knowing "immediately" what the RCMP are doing in a given situation! (Walks away shaking head)

You can't have it both ways.

[gman313]

I know what feedback I will get from posting these thoughts, however I feel that I have a valid concern.

My concern is the growing situations in which the North Okanagan RCMP are involved in, in the public domain, with guns drawn and citizens being requested (told) to not attend a certain public location or to remain inside their homes or out of their neighborhoods.

We had the Coldstream incident a couple of weeks ago where people were not allowed back into the neighborhood and others not allowed out of their homes. Last night there was more police presence in Vernon with guns drawn yet still no information forth coming. Today we are being asked to not attend Polson Park, again with zero information.

This is not right, yes the RCMP have a job to do, but they must keep tax payers and those who dwell properly abreast of their activities and the why's of their activities - to be held accountable.

I realize most will side with the RCMP, claiming if the RCMP provide information to the public that it could jeopardize their efforts.

Well, that's good not enough anymore.

I call for transparency of RCMP's activities.

give your head a shake. The story always comes out once the risk is over. man some people are beyond dumb!

[my5cents]

I agree to some degree with the original post. It was, however unclear from the post, what time frame the poster thought information about an investigation should be released to the public.

Another problem, and a severe one, is that fact that the police tell the media and the media decide what to tell the public.

I probably wouldn't have had such an opinion on this if an incident hadn't just occurred to a friend of a family member.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.4458011

In this case two men are dead, in Needles BC. One an 83 year old another a 58 year old. At the time of the event and for the following MONTH ! the media reported just that,,, the two were dead. Obviously one killed the other, but who did what ?

Having inside knowledge, I know what happened. The 83 year old was minding his own business inside his home in the evening, with his elderly wife. A shot was heard and instead of diving for the floor and turning off lights, the old man went to call the police, with (I surmise) the lights on and the blinds open, as he returned with the phone, he was shot a second time and killed.

Later the police attended and found the neighbor, dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound.

It took over A MONTH for the police to advise the public that the 83 year old was a murder victim and the 58 year old had died at his own hand.

You can imagine the anxiety this caused the elderly wife, especially in such a small community.

This wasn't a complicated investigation. There was only one gun involved. It doesn't take a crime scene investigative genius to tell which way the bullets travelled that hit the 83 year old. It doesn't take a genius to tell the 58 year old shot himself.

Another ironic element of police investigations. Major traffic accidents where the police shut down major roadways for DAYS.

This is especially ironic when the accident involves only one vehicle and one occupant.

Photo's, mark the position of vehicles, mark and measure evidence that may deteriorate, such as yaw marks.

Come back on a Sunday afternoon and fly your drones, and play with all your toys.

Oh, all these "high trained" traffic analysts ? If its important, the measurements and photos are very valuable, for the engineers that are REALLY, the highly trained traffic analysts.

[bob vernon]

" .... and media". Really? The media? Usually the media tries to get out the story as soon as possible. News is a competitive business and there are other news sites who want to get the story out first. It creates readership. Members of the media will try to get the inside information.

The RCMP probably have reasons for not being "transparent" in the short term. Example: If the suspect has escaped the search area and looks at his cell phone and discovers that the cops are floundering around in one part of town, then he'll head in the other direction. 'Lax. We'll all find out eventually. And the police will try to keep the public safe in the meantime.

[my5cents]

" .... and media". Really? The media? Usually the media tries to get out the story as soon as possible. News is a competitive business and there are other news sites who want to get the story out first. It creates readership. Members of the media will try to get the inside information.

The RCMP probably have reasons for not being "transparent" in the short term. Example: If the suspect has escaped the search area and looks at his cell phone and discovers that the cops are floundering around in one part of town, then he'll head in the other direction. 'Lax. We'll all find out eventually. And the police will try to keep the public safe in the meantime.

OK....
Do you recall a number of years ago, a young woman with her child went to buy a used bed in Penticton. She was held against her will, I think she was sexually assaulted.

Family went to the RCMP when she didn't come home to drop off her child so she could go to work.

Their answer was "well she probably went partying (with her child ??)

Family re-approached the RCMP after driving all over the area, checking friends etc. They suggested the RCMP should check the used furnature shop. They refused also warning family to stay away.

The family ignored the warnings broke in and rescued the young woman and the child.

Recall any large headlines by the "competitive" media ? Nope they just regurgitated what the RCMP said. Of course the media never raised the appropriate questions regarding the disgusting police inaction.

Unfortunately, locally we don't have competitive media. We barely have media.

[common_sense_guy]

Hey thread starter. If you want to know what's going on buy yourself at $80 frequency scanner and sit there and listen to it yourself. Very simple solution to your non problem.

[alanjh595]

Police channels are now all encoded, scanners are useless for the RCMP.

[my5cents]

Hey thread starter. If you want to know what's going on buy yourself at $80 frequency scanner and sit there and listen to it yourself. Very simple solution to your non problem.

Ya, that'd be real exciting, I've never heard a police call before, must be just like TV. Wow !

How about one of your loved ones gets murdered in his home with his elderly wife watching and going through the horror and then the police take over a month to say if he was the murdered or the murderer. That's be real nice for grandma wouldn't it. Neighbors staring at the grocery store....

The RCMP get a major by in these small market media locations. The media are just scribes, they attend press conferences and write down and report what they are told, period.

If they had the audacity to say or question anything the answer would be "we're the police, there's an operational requirement, we won't say anything"

They count on time going by to fade the memory of the public.

It's not until they really pee in the pickles that the media, normally brought in from a large centre, gets to the truth.

I'm not saying there aren't valid reasons for keeping some investigation tight lipped, not at all. But there are many that are not.

[Fancy]

With all the shift work and the police have their own lives to live, no wonder there's confusion among the public. And the perceptions that don't hit the mark and even on every single forum thread there's misinformation. The "three sides to a story" was started for a reason.

[Because_They_Lie]

Do you worry this is because the RCMP are deliberately holding back information (to be less transparent), or because they have only so many resources to respond to the active situation, or because we all expect to know more, in this day and age?

Just thinking, we all likely expect more up-to-date notifications now, because any member of the public can post to social media to share in just a few seconds, so it seems as if the RCMP & media are lagging behind? Now that Castanet is reposting within minutes, exactly what folks post on local Facebook groups, perhaps we feel even more of a disconnect?

Pretty sure the RCMP also monitor social media, although they may not engage much - again, probably due to a lack of resources, not a lack of interest in transparency.

I worry more about the lack of transparency at City Hall (or what would you call rolling irrigation rates back to 2013 for only certain golf courses while approving a 3% increase for residents' drinking water?).

Foolish to believe and or think for one moment that the RCMP LACK resources. This is erroneous.

My concerns are that the RCMP are fully capable of sending 1 team to these local neighbourhoods to deal with 1 individual, there is zero need to send in a swat team and lock down an entire neighbourhood. Especially with out any real information into the situation.

I do not trust the RCMP at all. For very good reason. Yes there is good in every group, but the RCMP have a track record of doing whatever they choose without any consequences if they are acting in a illegal manner themselves.

I have known many (more than is acceptable) "innocent" individuals who have had their lives destroyed by the choices and actions of the RCMP.

I am not a believer in coincidence, 2 lock downs within 2 weeks, same story - man has a weapon. neighbourhood locked down, no information forth coming to the public but expectations of cooperation, stay inside, stay out of the neighborhood. I don't like the trend that is beginning.

NONE of their tactics are reasonable anymore. back in the day one man to two men on one potential criminal was enough.....wait until they roll their tanks into your neighborhood.

I don't trust them or their tactics and yes they have PLENTY of resources. Do not be so gullible.

[Because_They_Lie]

I know what feedback I will get from posting these thoughts, however I feel that I have a valid concern.

My concern is the growing situations in which the North Okanagan RCMP are involved in, in the public domain, with guns drawn and citizens being requested (told) to not attend a certain public location or to remain inside their homes or out of their neighborhoods.

We had the Coldstream incident a couple of weeks ago where people were not allowed back into the neighborhood and others not allowed out of their homes. Last night there was more police presence in Vernon with guns drawn yet still no information forth coming. Today we are being asked to not attend Polson Park, again with zero information.

This is not right, yes the RCMP have a job to do, but they must keep tax payers and those who dwell properly abreast of their activities and the why's of their activities - to be held accountable.

I realize most will side with the RCMP, claiming if the RCMP provide information to the public that it could jeopardize their efforts.

Well, that's good not enough anymore.

I call for transparency of RCMP's activities.

you should be more concerned about -all- the *bleep* criminals out there, just let the cops do there job

How about REAL criminals???

How do the DRUGS and WEAPONS get into our country and onto our streets?

Fact is the government allows and participates in the provision of drugs and weapons in this and all other countries on this planet. if you are not aware of the operation to have society destroy itself through provision of these items, I don't know what else to say to you. Get informed.

The system creates these low life thieves, violent actors etc. that's how it works as per planned.

Wake up!

What did this guy actually do? He owns a fire arm? Hmmmmmmm