Calgary Police Service patrol rifle stolen during car prowling Saturday, April 4 2015

[frizzlefry]

Originally posted by revelations
Id be willing to be the roadblocks were setup as "license or seatbelt checks" (legal) and then the drivers were asked if they could give permission to search their trunks (many criminals are too dumb to hide their stolen shit and leave it in plain sight. )

The CPS and other forces in Canada are well within their rights to do this, but ***cannot DEMAND a search*** of the vehicle without probable cause.

Containment/Roadblocks are also setup to catch people fleeing the scene of a crime (same thing), not sure why this got blown up so much UNLESS someones section 8 of the CRF was violated.

It's not so much that they set up roadblocks and did searches, its the why that bothers me. How often is this done for other crimes that didn't involve a CPS officer being stupid?

[revelations]

Its done all the time, known as "containment". If you spend time in the NE, this is a regular occurrence

For eg, robbery suspect is the loose in a neighbourhood - the CPS cordon off a few blocks, stop and check all vehicles (only looking at vehicle interior through glass) outbound of containment.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[FraserB]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Don't you end up getting threatened with detainment if you refuse a request for a voluntary search?

My biggest concern would be a cop pawing around my guns, which are generally nicer than CPS issue and are not treated as a tool. That and ignorance of the law.

[schurchill39]

I thought there was a really bizarre police presence on Saturday night. I figured they were just doing regular check stops because it was a long weekend. This makes sense though

[revelations]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
Don't you end up getting threatened with detainment if you refuse a request for a voluntary search?

Comment from Reddit user who went through the block last weekend:

[–]HyperPyrexiaNorthwest Calgary 17 points 1 day ago

As someone who went through this blockade, search, VIOLATION OF MERICA! I gotta say, at no time was the search "demanded" or forced.

You know what the officer did say "We're checking trunks in this location, can I check yours?". It was a 20 second visual check, he didn't rip up my spare tire and I was gone to sleep off the evening shift. As someone who lives in the community, I think the police had a reasonable notion that WHATEVER they were looking for was likely still in the area, a full parking lot, half of the size of a football field.

The way my girlfriend describe it is that the rolled up quickly and established the roadblocks, and then another cruiser went to Shanks. My girlfriend didn't see anyone arrested, ripped out of their vehicle, police planting cocaine, smashing tail lights, or anything else, as has been suggest as things that could happen.

[rage2]

I guess I missed out on all the action. I was at Shanks that night, but was so exhausted that I left about 10 mins before all this went down.

[frizzlefry]

I read another post where the guy said "I'm not comfortable with a search but you can look through the windows". The CPS spent 30 seconds shining their lights into the car and sent him on his way. Harmless right?

BUT. Obviously if they had happened to snare the thief and asked to open his truck he would have said no. If the intent of the CPS was to say "sure, no problem" to anyone that said no to the search than the entire operation was useless to begin with. Why bother then unless you intended on pushing the issue with a guy who said "no" and also appeared to rub them the wrong way or otherwise seemed off. Like those videos from the states when guys be all "'merica!" when snagged in a checkstop and end up getting arrested or detained simply because they were lippy about their rights.

The very fact they did this implies that they would have not taken "no" as an answer for at least some people. Like I said, if the CPS wasn't willing to push the issue with a "no" then the entire thing was pointless. They were obviously ready to detain someone because they happened to be in the area. Had they had a description or something more exact they wouldn't have asked to search everyone.

I doubt the "happens all the time, nothing to see here" argument as this particular search blew up on social media and the others that apparently happen do so without fan-fair. There was something unique about this. It was not business as usual.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by rage2
I guess I missed out on all the action. I was at Shanks that night, but was so exhausted that I left about 10 mins before all this went down.

well, think we just found suspect #1

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by frizzlefry
I read another post where the guy said "I'm not comfortable with a search but you can look through the windows". The CPS spent 30 seconds shining their lights into the car and sent him on his way. Harmless right?

BUT. Obviously if they had happened to snare the thief and asked to open his truck he would have said no. If the intent of the CPS was to say "sure, no problem" to anyone that said no to the search than the entire operation was useless to begin with. Why bother then unless you intended on pushing the issue with a guy who said "no" and also appeared to rub them the wrong way or otherwise seemed off. Like those videos from the states when guys be all "'merica!" when snagged in a checkstop and end up getting arrested or detained simply because they were lippy about their rights.

The very fact they did this implies that they would have not taken "no" as an answer for at least some people. Like I said, if the CPS wasn't willing to push the issue with a "no" then the entire thing was pointless. They were obviously ready to detain someone because they happened to be in the area. Had they had a description or something more exact they wouldn't have asked to search everyone.

I doubt the "happens all the time, nothing to see here" argument as this particular search blew up on social media and the others that apparently happen do so without fan-fair. There was something unique about this. It was not business as usual.

I really think you're making more of this than there is. Their actions probably indicate a desire to say they did something, than it does any type of nefarious activity.

When CPS is asked how the situation was handled the optics of "We setup a containment perimeter in an attempt to locate the firearm" sounds a lot better than "Nothing"

In situations like this usually the underlying scenario is one of incompetence, nothing more.

[frizzlefry]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2


I really think you're making more of this than there is. Their actions probably indicate a desire to say they did something, than it does any type of nefarious activity.

When CPS is asked how the situation was handled the optics of "We setup a containment perimeter in an attempt to locate the firearm" sounds a lot better than "Nothing"

In situations like this usually the underlying scenario is one of incompetence, nothing more.

Say you are right (and you very well could be) it's worse IMO.

Scenario a) CPS setup a perimeter, unusual enough to make waves, in order to track down a firearm and were willing to detain people in the interest of public safety

Ok, not "good" but at least somewhat understandable despite a heavy handed approach. The officer really shouldn't have had the weapon in his car though...shitty police work.

Scenario b) CPS setup a perimeter and challenged citizen's rights to save face after one of their members fucked up. They never had any realistic expectations but it looked good.

Option B is WORSE man.

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by rx7_turbo2


How does bringing more attention to the situation help to "cover it up" exactly? I see what your saying but I don't see any attempt to cover anything up here.

Inside job. Maybe he was a fuckup cop and higher up brass wanted to get rid of him They knew he had the rifle, sent a mule in to "steal" it, shut down an entire parking lot to create a big public spectacle when in reality, the rifle was long gone by then. Even the dumbest cop knows a thief isn't hanging around the scene too long. He or she would be halfway to Midnapore by the time they mobilized that kind of police presence, I was there and it was heavy. You would think they'd keep it quiet so they could watch their local known suspects move around and hopefully catch them trying to fence the thing, rather than having them shut it down until the heat's off.

[frizzlefry]

Originally posted by heavyfuel


Inside job. Maybe he was a fuckup cop and higher up brass wanted to get rid of him They knew he had the rifle, sent a mule in to "steal" it, shut down an entire parking lot to create a big public spectacle when in reality, the rifle was long gone by then. Even the dumbest cop knows a thief isn't hanging around the scene too long. He or she would be halfway to Midnapore by the time they mobilized that kind of police presence, I was there and it was heavy. You would think they'd keep it quiet so they could watch their local known suspects move around and hopefully catch them trying to fence the thing, rather than having them shut it down until the heat's off.

I'm not subscribing to an inside job theory or anything. I'm paranoid but not that paranoid But I do think the timing of events does indicate an attempted "cover-up". Or at least an attempt to nip it in the bud fast.

So the weapon gets nicked. You are right, they guy would be gone ASAP (he knows what he has) and by the time they setup roadblocks and searches hes gone. But maybe, just maybe, they find the guy by setting up the roadblocks. If that worked then there is no immediate need to contact the media. They have the weapon, crisis averted and maybe the news hears about it a month from now after the documents involving the process exist and the PR has been setup to mitigate the issue in the media.

So they tried. But they didn't get the guy. It was a long shot, innocent people were put in a position where they had to choose to exercise their rights or not and it made social media. Now the CPS is in a pickle. So plan A failed now we go to plan B. The media. Show images of the weapon, make it the hottest potato in Alberta. No one wants to touch it now. Side effect is that now the media knows what happened.

But had they chosen the highest probability of success (contacting the media right away because the guy is obviously long gone) by 6am that rifle would be on the morning news and unsalable. But because the CPS chose a "cover our asses" approach first the guy who stole it had 20 hours to sell it before it became the most undesirable gun in the province.

Hence, IMO, they executed that roadblock to try and cover ass. The morning news had nothing about it. Really want it back? Release to the media making the weapon really unattractive AND do the roadblock just in case. They aimed for the best case scenario for CPS. Not the best case scenario for the public.

[revelations]

Originally posted by frizzlefry

BUT. Obviously if they had happened to snare the thief and asked to open his truck he would have said no.

You dont know how dumb people are. Many are caught with stolen shit, in plain sight, at containment road blocks.

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by frizzlefry


I'm not subscribing to an inside job theory or anything. I'm paranoid but not that paranoid

How about if the whole theft was staged right from the start, and actually not a theft at all, just to give police a reason to lock down a suspect location and do a cursory search on every vehicle leaving the area in order to follow up on credible intel that a t***t attack was being planned and that related materials were changing hands at that time and place.

How's that for paranoid?

[beyond_ban]

Originally posted by heavyfuel


How about if the whole theft was staged right from the start, and actually not a theft at all, just to give police a reason to lock down a suspect location and do a cursory search on every vehicle leaving the area in order to follow up on credible intel that a t***t attack was being planned and that related materials were changing hands at that time and place.

How's that for paranoid?

If this is your second level of paranoia, I really want to see your third.

[GTS4tw]

Originally posted by heavyfuel


How about if the whole theft was staged right from the start, and actually not a theft at all, just to give police a reason to lock down a suspect location and do a cursory search on every vehicle leaving the area in order to follow up on credible intel that a t***t attack was being planned and that related materials were changing hands at that time and place.

How's that for paranoid?

Why did you bank out the word terrorist? Are you afraid "they" will read it?

[rx7_turbo2]

Originally posted by frizzlefry


Say you are right (and you very well could be) it's worse IMO.

Scenario a) CPS setup a perimeter, unusual enough to make waves, in order to track down a firearm and were willing to detain people in the interest of public safety

Ok, not "good" but at least somewhat understandable despite a heavy handed approach. The officer really shouldn't have had the weapon in his car though...shitty police work.

Scenario b) CPS setup a perimeter and challenged citizen's rights to save face after one of their members fucked up. They never had any realistic expectations but it looked good.

Option B is WORSE man.

It's all bad.

I'm just suggesting that in situations like this the truth is often not all that complicated.

Maybe I'm just naive but this sounds like a boat load of incompetence not a conspiracy.

[heavyfuel]

Originally posted by GTS4tw


Why did you bank out the word terrorist? Are you afraid "they" will read it?

"They" have already read it.

[frizzlefry]

*bump*

Oppsie doodles!

CPS also lost a notebook containing private information

So along with the gun the CPS officer had a notebook containing pages of personal information and case notes. That's missing now. Contained info on about 400 people.

That shit is allowed to be contained in a notebook?? 400 people? I get it, notebooks are easy but once entered into a secured system they ought to destroy the pages. Jesus.