Canada – Border Guards Used More Guns, Batons, Pepper Spray to Deal with Travelers

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    Canadian border guards are silhouetted as they replace each other at an inspection booth at the Douglas border crossing on the Canada-USA border in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday August 20, 2009. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)  Canadian border guards are silhouetted as they replace each other at an inspection booth at the Douglas border crossing on the Canada-USA border in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday August 20, 2009. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)Canada – The number of clashes at Canada’s borders rose as more officers pulled their guns and swung their truncheons to deal with troublesome travellers.

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    So-called use-of-force incidents are up 170 per cent in just four years — and more border officers are needed to respond to each problem, says an internal report.

    The actual number of incidents — 137 in the fiscal year that ended on March 31 — is a fraction of the 80 million people processed at border points over the period.

    But critics have said with more and more guards carrying sidearms, it may only be a matter of time before a handgun is discharged to end a violent episode.

    So far, just one bullet has been deliberately fired in the line of duty since July 2007, when officers first began packing guns. The shot was to put down an injured moose on a British Columbia highway last summer.

    And on May 8 this year, an officer in Queenston, Ont., accidentally discharged a duty sidearm while loading it. No one was injured.

    Last year, 17 border officers were injured in scuffles, as were 13 assailants, none seriously. All received medical attention.

    The figures are from a draft version of the agency’s annual use-of-force report, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

    Guards are pulling their sidearms from their holsters about three times a month. Currently there are 1,386 armed officers, with the number set to rise to 4,800 by 2016 at all land and marine border points.

    A spokeswoman for Canada Border Services Agency declined to comment on the rising numbers of clashes.

    “We will not speculate on reasons why there seems to be an increase in the number of incidents,” Sabrina Mehes said in a email response to questions.

    “CBSA officers are prepared and trained to deal with a broad range of options when responding to potentially dangerous situations, and they assess situations, using their skills, training, tools and good judgment.”

    The 137 incidents in 2009-2010 are up by 10 from the previous year, but the number of officers needed to resolve them rose dramatically to 348 from 284, bringing more weaponry into play.

    Guns were drawn in 32 incidents, and batons were pulled out seven times — and twice used. Oleoresin capsicum, also known as pepper spray, was displayed 11 times and actually discharged in one case.

    Most of the clashes happened in the agency’s Pacific region, with 47 incidents last year, followed by Quebec with 20. Mehes declined to comment on the regional numbers.

    Officers are trained in use of the 9 mm Beretta P4X Storm handgun, and are required to fill out forms whenever it is drawn from the holster to resolve a border incident. They’ve been armed with batons and pepper spray since 2003; any use of these also requires extensive paperwork.

    The draft report does not include details of each incident, though previously released material suggests guns are typically drawn when a belligerent traveller is believed to be carrying a concealed weapon.

    About a third of the incidents last year were at the highest level of alert, when officers believed a person was acting in a manner that could cause “grievous bodily harm.” About a quarter were at the next highest level, when a combative traveller punches or kicks.

    The agency recently relaxed its rules to allow officers to wear a duty firearm even when leaving a border station for a meal, for rest periods or when attending job fairs to recruit more border guards.


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    7 Comments
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    13 years ago

    oh those canadians

    kollelfaker
    kollelfaker
    13 years ago

    guns give them training wheels they need help are out of control

    13 years ago

    Several years ago, two Yeshivah bochurs from EY tried to sneak into the USA from Canada, via Vermont. They were caught, and jailed. One of them was deported to EY, but I believe the other one was sentenced to jail. They did not have visas to enter the United States. Their act was reckless and stupid, as they could have been injured. Their headmaster at the Yeshivah should have punished both of them, since according to Halacha, one is obligated to obey the laws of the country that they are in.

    13 years ago

    There are more incidents because the guards are really in your face these days.
    One time, one of them was almost goading me to hit him.
    I am not THAT stupid.

    13 years ago

    To #6 (GB Jew)- Thank you very much for backing my comments which were in #3. I sincerely appreciate your input.

    To #4 - Bella- I thought my comments were relevant to the discussion about the Canadian border. I never said, nor did I imply that it wasn’t the American border guards who were involved. Further, it is up to the Administrator of this fine site, to determine which comments are allowed, and which one’s are not.