With all due respect, the law is an ass.
Or should we say, the people imposing the law are.
Yup, that’s right. We called it the way we see it.
People are frustrated with light sentences of people who’ve committed crimes.
Frankly, and bluntly, it’s not the suspects fault at the light sentences imposed. In fact, more power to them as it’s the court, specifically judges who hand down the sentences of the accused.
With fewer media outlets it’s hard to cover charges and the sentences handed out.
Media has to pick and choose. Not like the old days when reporters would spend the day in court covering everything.
The public would be informed each week of court happenings.
But these times, they are a changing.
Saying that, we do the best we can.
To get back to the point, on Friday, December 10, 2021, Cobourg Police became involved in a foot pursuit after a officer spotted a suspect wanted on, not one, but two warrants.
The foot pursuit went approximately one block before the officer grabbed the suspect. The suspect broke free and ran. At that point witnesses who live nearby heard the officer yell, “stop or you’ll be tasered.”
Police stated in a release the suspect dropped a utility knife when he was tasered.
Moments later the suspect was on the ground bleeding from his head.
The taser probes hit the mark and when the suspect fell he struck his head.
More officers arrived along with paramedics and the suspect was taken to hospital for treatment.
The suspect was later released from hospital and held for a bail hearing facing charges of obstruct police, escape lawful custody, enter premises when entry prohibited, possess weapon dangerous, fail to comply with release order.
Later on Friday – he was released.
The only condition that was added to his previous conditions of release was to report to police once a week.
The suspect is on other charges pertaining to an officer being assaulted and the suspect resisting arrest in August 2021.
Those charges are a result from a theft from a convenience store in Cobourg which resulted in another foot pursuit.
The same suspect is still before the courts charged with fail to comply, resist arrest and assault police.
Courts not only need to protect the public, they need to protect the police.
It’s simply not happening.
Again, this is no fault of the accused.
It’s solely the fault of the courts and they need to be held accountable to the public.
When a police officer fails the public, there could be anything in the way of charges, or name splashed over social media.
But when a judge re-releases a person that is facing similar charges from August and gets released again into the public with just one other minor condition, what is the deterrence?
Everyone including this suspect is innocent until proven guilty. But at some point there has to be some onus the individual that he or she will keep good behaviour until the charges have been dealt with.
If it doesn’t happen, the courts are a joke and it diminishes their credibility along with that of the presiding judge.
For the police – why even bother to enforce the law?
Think how officers must feel, day-in, day-out going to work and apprehending suspects to appear before court to face serious charges only to be release time, and time again.
When will it be the public’s turn to feel safe on the streets once again.
There was a time when suspects were afraid to go against court orders for fear if they broke the rules set by the judge they would be in jail until the charges were dealt with.
That time is long gone.
As a society, we owe it to the officers everywhere that keep us safe every minute of every day.
We owe it to our children. Every parent wants their child to grow up in a safe community.
There isn’t anyone who praises the sentences judges impose – except for the perpetrators who’ve committed the crimes.
All of the charges the suspect is facing have yet to be proven in court.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
