Cape Breton cops spent $23Gs to cover anti gun-buyback rally
The peaceful protest by 250 licensed gun owners and supporters also forced police to shutter their HQ
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Police on Cape Breton spent $23,000 on deployment and security costs for a protest rallying against the federal government’s gun buyback program.
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Documents unearthed by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) show Cape Breton’s police headquarters was shuttered and dozens of officers and brass were deployed to maintain security at the early-October rally, which saw around 250 people demonstrate against what legal gun owners call a massive overreach of government power.
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“If a calm, peaceful gathering in Cape Breton triggers more than $23,000 in police costs, then taxpayers need to start paying attention,” Devin Drover, CTF’s general counsel and Atlantic Canada director, told the Toronto Sun.
“If this is what the price tag looks like at the very beginning, the national rollout is going to be a wild ride and none of it will make Canadians any safer.”
The rally, which took place Oct. 2 at the Cape Breton police headquarters, saw firearms proponents and supporters fly in from across Canada to attend.
What did the police money cover?
According to an access-to-information request filed by the CTF, Cape Breton police — which employs around 200 sworn officers — deployed 26 officers to patrol the rally, amounting to $22,548.25 in salary costs.
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That deployment consisted of a staff sergeant and inspector, as well as members of Cape Breton’s emergency response team (ERT) tactical unit, the public safety unit, internet crimes, community safety enforcement and street crime units, as well as regular patrol officers and mental health liaisons.
Cape Breton Regional Police also hired guards from a local security company for 12-hour patrols.
The Toronto Sun has reached out to Cape Breton police for comment.
Why Nova Scotia is involved
Nova Scotia became a focal point of former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s efforts to disarm Canadians after the April 2020 mass shooting in the province that killed 22 people, with his government ratifying an order-in-council one month later that summarily banned more than 1,500 models of so-called “assault rifles.”
Cape Breton police have become a visible part of the government’s firearms confiscation efforts, with the police service agreeing to become a test bed for the program — one of a few Canadian law enforcement agencies agreeing to participate.
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The Ontario Provincial Police are among agencies saying they would not participate in the program — nor will the Ontario provincial government.
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“Our position as a government is that it’s the illegal guns that are the problem,” Brampton North MPP Graham McGregor said at a press conference one day before the Cape Breton protest.
That sentiment was echoed at the same event by Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, who said they’re still in talks with the federal government.
“In order to facilitate a citizen’s right to get compensated, there’s a request for the police of jurisdiction to be involved,” he told reporters.
“The reality is, we don’t have the resources to achieve that.”
Another example of waste
Gage Haubrich, CTF Prairie director, said the police response to the rally is just another example of how wasteful the buyback program is.
“The gun ban and confiscation program is a huge waste of taxpayer money and it won’t make Canadians safer,” he said.
“The government needs to scrap the scheme before another dollar is wasted. Law-abiding firearm owners aren’t the problem and taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for something that won’t reduce crime.”
Retired Chicago police officer describes shooting suspected West Side car thief
A retired cop shot at a carjacker on same block last year
A retired Chicago police officer said he fired at a suspected vehicle thief on the West Side Thursday morning.
CHICAGO (WLS) — A retired police officer said he fired at a suspected vehicle thief on the West Side Thursday morning.
Chicago police said the incident occurred at about 2:26 a.m. in the 300 block of North Mayfield Avenue in the Austin neighborhood.
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This is the second time a retired officer has fired shots at someone trying to break into cars along that same block.
The retired Chicago police officer, who served 30 years on the force, said his neighbor, Terrell Jackson, called to alert him when someone was breaking into his car.
“It’s just sad that it’s constantly going on and on,” Jackson said.
Jackson said he was only returning the favor when he alerted the retired cop of the attempted theft in progress.
“I was coming outside to once again go to work and somebody was breaking into his car,” Jackson said. “We called 911 and contacted him.”
The retired officer said he also immediately called 911 and then went outside to confront the suspect and a fight broke out.
“Went over and said stop, and that’s when he turned around,” the retired officer said. “I couldn’t see who it was, he had a hood on his head. And that’s when he charged me.”
The 73-year-old retired officer said the suspect lunged at him and his gun went off during the struggle.
“He tried to grab my weapon away from me and he ended up shot and on the ground,” the retired officer said.
Investigators said the 53-year-old offender was hit in the right shoulder and taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in good condition.
The retired police officer was uninjured.
“So everybody learn a lesson,” the officer said. “To respect people’s property.”
Last May, surveillance video from the first incident last May showed a neighbor being carjacked on his way to work. A retired officer ran out to help and fired a dozen shots at the carjacking suspect.
Residents said anything can happen and you have to be on guard.
“If it comes to trying to save your life or your neighbor’s life, of course everybody’s gonna try to save each other. It is a tight block and everybody looks out for each other. It’s just an incident that shouldn’t have happened, but it happened.”
The suspect was arrested and Area Four detectives are still investigating the incident.
“We just need the community to step up a little bit more to look out for one another,” Jackson said.
