Hamilton Cop Convicted of Gun Planting Scheme

As a former crown attorney turned defense lawyer, I was not surprised to see that the Court of Appeal upheld Detective Robert Hansen’s convictions.

Although I was not surprised, It did not make the judgment just.

The evidence is overwhelming and shocking. Throughout the trial and the appeal, one question kept coming to mind, who watches the watchers? When it comes to the police and public opinion, one bad apple does ruin the bunch, and in this case, it should. It seems to me that the checks and balances weren’t there. Hansen was allowed to operate in this manner because no one was watching the watcher. All levels of the police need to be held accountable for the general patrol Constance to the Cheif of Police and the Police Services Board that oversees all.

The thin blue line needs to break.

The police need to condemn officers like this. The police need to hold themselves accountable because that is what society deserves. Strong and independent Police services are paramount to public protection but who protects the public when the police aren’t?

The answer is us, the people, the community policing. We have to watch the watchers and hold them accountable when they do us wrong.

What troubles me more is the fact that it looks like Robert Hansen wasn’t alone. Soon, another disgraced and deplorable member of the Hamilton Police Service will start his trial for multiple criminal counts directly related to dishonesty and corruption. Of course, Detective Ruthowsky is innocent until proven guilty. Only time will tell how severe the infection is, but we will be watching the watchers.

Read the link here:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/hansen-appeals-1.4499636

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