The long-gun registry debate came to Edmonton Monday, with one of Canada’s top cops saying police from the country are throwing their support behind a national strategy.
Toronto Police Chief William Blair, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, announced members of the CACP had voted in favour to pass a resolution for the National Firearms Policing Strategy, with one of the key points made being access to information regarding long-gun licensing and registration.
“The licensing of firearms owners and the registration of all firearms is an important component of the program we use to keep our community safe and to do our jobs,” said Chief Blair. “Information contained in that registry is invaluable to us over 11,000 times per day.
“It gives us information to help us solve crimes, trace firearms that we could seize and gives us the information to go into situations where there is a potential risk of the presence of firearms and to deal effectively with that risk.”
Despite some groups against the strategy, it has gained immense support from police services and agencies across Canada. The controversial registry is believed to have been the reason that RCMP Chief Supt. Marty Cheliak was abruptly placed on leave, since it’s believed his support of the registry appeared to be at odds with a Conservative MP’s bill to abolish it.
