Lawyer Ian Runkle Rebuts Police Statement

0:00 The police started getting upset because they were saying, "Well, we don't like the criticism that we got. We're going to see how they call it out." We recognize this the recent media release regarding an incident on August 18th has generated significant public interest and emotional responses. I don't think that they're entirely emotional. I think some of them are in fact intellectual responses. The Kortha Lakes Police Service appreciates the community's engagement and concern. However, the negative commentary about the officers and their actions is unjust and inaccurate. It is also charter protected, so it's not unjust. People have a right to criticize the police, including unfairly. So, the investigators were able to examine all of the information and evidence that was available prior to laying any charges. In order to protect the investigation and the rights of any person who is charged with an offense during the court proceedings, only a limited amount of

0:46 information is being released to the public. Well, when you're releasing only a limited amount of information, you can't be upset when the public is annoyed and afraid of what's going on here. The role of the police is to investigate impartially and present findings to the justice system which ultimately determines the outcome. No, the police also have discretion and the role of the police should be to protect the public. And quite frankly, the public is better protected when we see the police making better decisions on this one. Somebody should not have to fear when they call the police in the middle of the night because somebody has broken into their house that the police might then charge them. You should be confident that the police are going to make your day better when they get there, not worse. They say it is important to remember that the charges

1:31 are not or the charges are not convictions. They're part of the judicial process which ensures that all facts are considered fairly in court. We don't always have to consider things in court. Sometimes we can just say we don't need to take this to court, right? That that is an option. We encourage you to follow this matter as it proceeds with the justice system. Oh, you bet I will. We're doing that. Under Canadian law, individuals have the right to defend themselves and their property. The Criminal Code of Canada, specifically sections 34 and 35, allow a person to use reasonable force to protect themselves and their property if they believe they're facing a threat. Correct. And we're going to talk about what the law is versus what it should be. However, it is important to understand that these rights are not unlimited in Canada. The law requires that any defensive action be proportionate to the threat faced. That's not actually true. Proportionality is one factor that is

2:18 considered. doesn't require proportionality, but proportionality is considered as part of this. This means that while homeowners do have the right to protect themselves and their property, the use of force must be reasonable given the circumstance. That is the the test. We'll talk about what the law is versus what ought to be. The Quortha Lakes Police Service remains committed to public safety, transparency, and respectful dialogue. Well, good news. The police are or the public are not required to engage in respectful dialogue. The public are allowed to engage in dialogue that can be highly disrespectful. They're allowed to. That's protected. At this time, we will not be releasing any further information about this incident. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.