To the editor,
Re: Crook banned from the Island, May 9.
Regarding the article on the prolific offender being put on the ferry by the RCMP, according to the article, he has outstanding warrants for violent crimes in Alberta. Why was he not arrested, escorted in handcuffs by an RCMP officer, who would accompany him on a plane to Calgary or Edmonton to be held in their jurisdiction for these outstanding warrants? This is no deterrent. He was likely laughing on the trip to the mainland, where he probably boarded another ferry to Victoria or the Sunshine Coast. This has to be one of the stupidest police actions possible.
This will not discourage, but encourage others to come here and cause more crime in our already crime-ridden city. If someone has outstanding warrants, they need to be sent back to where they are wanted for their crimes, to be tried and incarcerated on their patch. Nanaimo is becoming a dumping ground for undesirables from around the country. Arrest them and ship them to their places of origin.
Gary Purvess, Nanaimo
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Jail and psychiatric care needed to deal with criminal behaviour
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