January 12, 2000

Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services

25 Grosvenor St.

1^st Floor

Toronto, Ontario

M7A 1Y6

Regarding the decision of the Chief Police of Chatham-Kent, Ontario John Kopinak to exempt municipal employees and selected hunters from the local bylaws pertaining to the discharge of firearms within Chatham City limits.

I wish to make a formal complaint about this decision. I believe in the interests of public safety in an urban area that firearms use should be under the personal control of trained law enforcement officers only. I believe the decision by Chief Kopinak to delegate that authority to civilians to deal with crows roosting in the city to be dangerous to both person and property as well as exposing the taxpayers of this region to unacceptable levels of liability. Despite assurances that live rounds would not be used in residential areas this has not been the case. On Jan 11,2000 a works department employee was shooting birds at night as they roosted beside Grand Ave., a busy 4 lane road by the General Hospital in the heart of Chatham, a community of 40,000.

 While the safety and liability issues are obvious I feel that this decision has also very much devalued the quality of life in this community. We the residents are left to explain to our children who these people are who are shooting the birds and why the police won't stop it.

I concur with the concept that police chiefs and officers should have powers of discretion in law enforcement. I do not believe that this decision by the Chief of Police of Chatham-Kent is in the best interests of the citizens of Chatham or the Chatham-Kent Police Department and request that this matter be reviewed.

Sincerely

Richard Alan Siddall

C.C. Doug Arbour Chair of Chatham-Kent Police Services Board