PROVINCIAL GAMESMANSHIP AROUND INQUESTS BEING CURTAILED

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story titled ``Families of those shot by police can get funding``. Inquests are often mandatory after police shootings in this province. Unfortunately in the past when the family of a police shooting victim were granted standing at the inquest, they either had to hire their own lawyer or go without one. This put them at a serious disadvantage to both police officers and others attending the inquest whose legal expenses and representation were paid for by the taxpayers.

While the issue for many is preventing and or greatly reducing the use of lethal force especially against citizens with mental health issues, families still need to be on a level playing field whether or not their family member was suffering from mental illness. Police shootings of civilians are far too frequent whether or not the citizens involved are knowingly involved in criminal behaviour. Essentially our police are not supposed to be judge, jury and executioner. Death sentences even in the United States are supposed to be reserved for the absolute worst criminal cases. Police need to be given both the tools and the training to ensure that lethal force is absolutely only used as a last resort to protect either police lives or other citizens`lives.