An RCMP officer in Fort Saskatchewan, near Edmonton, was arrested and charged with several offences related to firearms, the CBC reported yesterday. The CBC listed the charges as the following:
- Unlawful possession of a Bushmaster .223 calibre assault rifle, which is a restricted weapon
- Unlawful possession of a .22 calibre rifle
- Careless storage of both rifles
- Possession of an unlicensed, restricted firearm and ammunition
- Possession of a prohibited device
- Unlawful transfer and improper storage of his 9 mm service pistol
Based on that list, we have no indication that the officer committed any real crime or tried to commit any real crime. We have no evidence of any harmful intent, of any victims, of any dangerous or unsafe behaviour, of any threat to public safety.
The officer is charged with paper crimes, administrative crimes. He didn’t have the right pieces of paper, and didn’t store his firearms the way some politician or bureaucrat said he should. Very naughty.
Did he break rules or policies related to his job or function as a police officer? The article doesn’t say, but if he did, he should face the consequences.
Is there any behaviour on that list that should be a criminal offence?
No.
Just like this RCMP officer, hundreds of Canadians are turned into criminals each year for similar reasons.
We’ve got to stop punishing good people, and start fixing bad laws.
© 2015 TheGunBlog.ca