REGIONAL POLICE ARE THE SUBJECT OF K-W RECORD'S EDITORIAL

Well I am pleased and proud of our Waterloo Region Record. Today's Editorial is titled "Lay down the law for our police". In no uncertain terms the Record make it plain that the behaviour of numerous officers over a long period of time is not only unacceptable but that Police Chief Matt Torrigan needs to do more and say more to resolve these stains upon the force. "Yes, a few bad apples-10 in total-do not mean the entire department, with more than 700 officers, is rotten.". Agreed and that is a very valid point. However the Record also rightly point out the following "But the public needs to know the department treats its reputation as something that must be held sacred by its officers. And the public needs to know the department is doing its best to discipline or dismiss every bad apple.".

For a start sweeping transgressions under the rug via settling civil suits with taxpayers money is not O.K. It is especially not O.K. when these same civil suits have gag clauses in them. In other words when the police are at fault, paying off complainants firstly with taxpayers money and then uping the payout by insisting on confidentiality (gag) clauses is beyond the pale. The Regional Police do their reputation more damage with that kind of coverup than if they released the judge's decision or the settlement agreement itself.