Blue Line Magazine March 2010

A tale of man and “machine”


I recall my number ONE Breathalyzer test. This is “the biggy” that every breath tech worries about because you can imagine what the defence lawyer could do when they found out that this is — THE FIRST.

I was working a quiet afternoon shift at the Traffic front desk when Harry gave me a wink and a nod as he began his shift. Harry, we will call him McCleneghan to protect the innocent, called out to me, “Don’t worry Morley — we will get you your first drunk in no time.”

Community connections shape Peterborough policing


Building relationships is a key part of any successful community policing effort and an excellent manner for police services to excel in this effort is to create linkages to local educational institutions. Benefits can be quickly realized by both institutions. The first is career progression of existing staff and secondarily as a pool of identifiable talent drawn from the community policed.

By example a long history of collaboration between Fleming College and the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service (PLCPS) has produced tremendous results.

The strong connection with the local community college has been a key in producing successful graduates who go on to professional policing and security careers.

Unenclosed storage yard not a “place”


An open space with a chain preventing vehicles from entering and exiting is not a “place” for the purposes of break and enter, the Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled.

In R. v. Ausland, 2010 ABCA 17, two men were observed backing a semi tractor up to a chain between two cement posts. Secured by a padlock, the chain was the only thing controlling access to an unfenced yard used to store trailers. No physical barriers impeded pedestrian access but the yard was patrolled by security guards and there were cameras. The men cut the chain and backed the tractor up to a trailer parked in the lot, connected it and were ready to pull away when police arrived in response to an emergency call.

Publishers Commentary

Morley Lymburner

Policing is the economic summit success story

I did not expect to write about the police handling of the economic summit. Upon viewing the event and listening over the months to all the preparations I was quite content that it was a textbook crowd control process, performed so well that nothing further needed to be said.

After talking to friends, family and other media people I realized that not everyone shares my opinion and are being fed considerable misinformation. So, here’s my opinion about that perfect storm and the perfect remedy supplied by a lot of dedicated people from

Blue Line Magazine

Quality of life

The quality of life, safety and security of Edmonton’s more than one million residents are the top priorities for the Edmonton Police Service (EPS). The latest example – an annual policing plan outlining policing priorities and performance targets developed last year saw crime decrease by more than two per cent, despite the slowing economy and other environmental factors.

The service continued to work towards its goal of reducing crime and victimization by responding to priority one calls within seven minutes, 90 per cent of the time; dedicating 25 per cent of patrol time to proactive activities; and working closely with community partners.


Judge didn’t believe officer, excluded evidence

Although the odour of raw marijuana may be sufficient to justify an arrest, if the judge doesn’t believe the officer smelled it the arrest is unlawful and the evidence may be thrown out.

In R. v. Noel, 2010 NBCA 28, a police officer, accompanied by a specially trained drug-sniffing dog, saw a vehicle traveling at a speed slightly in excess of the posted limit and decided to stop it and warn the driver. A license plate query indicated “no record found” and Noel, the lone occupant, was pulled over

Blue Line News Week

Officer missing in boating mishap in Yukon

Jul 15 2010

MAYO, Yn – Boat crews, aircraft and a dive team from the Yukon and British Columbia descended on a small village in the territory Wednesday to help in a desperate search for a missing rookie RCMP officer.