Rhino's Ramblings - Moose Jaw Police Draw Fire
By Robert Thomas - Opinion/Commentary
In the 1920's a local businessman saw a woman wearing an expensive one of a kind bonnet.
The only thing is the one of a kind bonnet was on the head of a Moose Jaw Police officer's wife. A bonnet which the merchant knew had been stolen from his shop.
The problem was how could a police officer's wife have acquired such an expensive, one of a kind and stolen bonnet?
The only answer was the officer was the thief.
After a brief investigation it became apparent the rash of thefts happening from Moose Jaw merchants were being committed by the police's night shift.
In the old days the police had the keys to enter all merchants' shops. During the night officers walking the beat would enter shops thereby ensuring thieves were not inside. The only thing is the real thieves were the police who helped themselves to everything.
Within days the day shift had the dubious task of arresting the night shift in the greatest scandal the Moose Jaw Police have ever faced.
The police were using their free access designed to catch robbers to rob merchants.
In what is easily the biggest local story of the past week CBC's Geoff Leo released revelations surrounding the termination of former Constable Alan Murdock. Revelations which for some shook their trust and confidence in the police similarly to the scandal of the 1920's.
SEE RELATED - CBC's Story
The CBC revealed not only that the former constable was on probation during his termination but also a litany of other concerns silently dealt with internally over Murdock's almost 30 year career with the Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS).
A police career for former Constable Murdock which began after his first career as a photographer/reporter with the new defunct Moose Jaw Times-Herald.
The concerns are about a seeming litany of allegations and secret internal remedies which are right now slowly placing the entire MJPS under the microscope.
The MJPS is for me is in an unenviable position of facing even greater concerns of non-confidence by the public they are sworn to serve and protect. Concerns which people have personally expressed to me as going much deeper than former Constable Alan Murdock.
Concerns which have some quietly calling for a wholesale house cleaning of the MJPS.
Until Friday it seemed concerns raised about the MJPS came from those who seemed to be in constant conflict with the police. These complainants were easily discounted as nothing more than the guilty out to get even or worse yet even if the police were out of line the guilty were getting what they deserve.
But suddenly while out for coffee on Friday afternoon I started hearing ordinary law abiding citizens openly speak - although it was in whispers - their concerns about the MJPS.
Whispers which, whether deserved or not, at their heart spoke about the lack of trust ordinary citizens have in the MJPS. If the loss of trust is more widespread than concerns surrounding the former constable the MJPS has some major problems which in my opinion run deeper than a good public relations campaign is ever going to repair.
If these whispers happen to turn into audible talk or even shouting from everyday citizens then there is a widespread lack of trust in the MJPS. A trust which must be earned once again from the general public.
Now I am going to be the first to state with it being Summer and most people are out at the lake enjoying the sunshine there is not the same interest say in September. There is a bit of breathing room right now for the MJPS.
That breathing room is running out though as the Alan Murdock termination appeal is set to kick off in September. Right in prime time of the general public's attention span.
A total nightmare for the MJPS as the allegations become public and likely to be reported on by not just local media but every major media outlet in the province.
And many are speaking locally in their whispers if former Constable Murdock wants to he likely could potentially spill the tea about other officers, past and present, placing conceived misdeeds over three decades into a public spotlight.
In what should have been a slam dunk for the MJPS the self represented Murdock has so far turned the tables against the MJPS. Somehow as the old idiom goes “only a fool is their own lawyer” the former constable is winning.
The former constable has proven to be a formidable opponent for the MJPS's legal counsel scoring a major victory when she tried to pre-empt the entire affair with a jurisdictional argument to adjudicator Jay Watson.
There was an attempt by the MJPS to set Saskatchewan law that a long time officer on probation is the same as a new hire officer on probation. Therefore the Chief of Police can terminate a 29 year veteran of the force as unacceptable for duty the same as a raw recruit out of the police academy. It was an intriguing argument one which former Constable Murdock prevailed in. Legal precedent has been established just not in the MJPS's favour.
The appeal filed by Murdock to be re-instated and in the end he hopes vindicated is proceeding despite the intentions of the MJPS.
And now it seems according to the CBC report potentially all of the dirty laundry at the MJPS could be hung out publicly.
This is in many ways is a case Police Chief Rick Bourassa cannot win.
If former Constable Alan Murdock wins his case and has to be re-instated then what? With public confidence and in my opinion such contempt in the city towards the former constable how can he be legitimately re-admitted into the ranks?
As the CBC pointed out Chief Bourassa could well see himself fired and potentially additionally facing charges.
An example of what police officers attend - an accident on Main Street late Friday afternoon - MJ Independent photo
If the MJPS is victorious in their attempt to dismiss Murdock the damage is likewise done because given the revelations of the CBC story and what may likely come out in the appeal it is going to be ugly for the MJPS.
Public trust is going to be eroded in the MJPS it still remains to be seen as to what extent. If it is as serious as more than a few are telling me there may be a need to hold a public inquiry to make appropriate changes and win back the public's trust.
In his defence Chief Bourassa has worked diligently to build bonds between the MJPS and the First Nation's community in the city. Bonds I am told which in reality in my opinion do not go very far beyond the leadership of NGOs. There seems to be an apparent failure to reach the grassroots or the street level.
In my opinion it remains to be seen not only how deep but additionally how long lasting the loss of trust is in the MJPS is for some sections of the local population. If it is as deep as what I was hearing on Friday afternoon from ordinary law abiding citizens then Chief Bourassa has some major problems.
Major problems in this scribe’s opinion need to be publicly addressed. Problems which in many ways cannot be dealt with privately but to some extent need to be publicly addressed. If they are serious the only way out seems to be a public inquiry.
With that said being a police officer is a tough job. There are plenty of stresses out there to be had.
There are things officers let alone other people should not have to see. The sick underbelly of the city is what they endure on a daily basis.
With just over a month until former Constable Murdock’s hearing it is just one more thing the rank and file of the MJPS have to endure in what for many is a thankless job.
Somehow the MJPS is for more than a few in the community at the same point they were when the scandal of the 1920's became public and as in the past they may need a dramatic dose of medicine to restore the public's trust.
What that medicine will entail is a prescription yet to be writtten.
Rhino's Ramblings is an opinion column and as such it presents a commentary on issues of concern in the community. We encourage our readers to read other news sources in order to form their own opinions on the issues.
You may or should have a differing view or opinion if you wish to express it drop us a line at moosejawnews@gmail.com .