2006-09-14

Edmonton Police: Opposed to this annoying "matter of public record" concept

EPS has explained that they really did have a suspect in the Oliver school shooting but that they decided not to release that a man was arrested and charged. It turns out to be the same guy that parents tackled a few days after the incident, that police said was the wrong man, but apparently is the right one (and the "prime suspect").

Er, I'm confused: with all this talk about "erosion of civil rights from anti-terrorism" bills, one of the matters is that suspects can be arrested and not identified until they are charged. But now we discover that Edmonton City Police can just decide at random not to do this anyways? And if charges were laid, doesn't that mean a preliminary hearing? Don't the local newspapers cover the Provincial Courthouse? Is this a case of the newspapers not putting two and two together? Or did EPS cover up the hearing as well?

I think its time EPS was disbanded, unless they can answer some of these questions.