Calgary's rogue cops

This summer, Calgary City Council voted against allowing "support our troops" stickers on municipally-owned vehicles. The City's police commission recently reinforced that decision by voting to forbid the stickers on police cruisers. Police Chief Jack Beaton sensibly pointed out it wouldn't be right for the force to display military support decals while denying other charitable organizations the same opportunity.

The president of the police union, Al Koenig, announced that officers will defy the policy. The cops don't seem to see themselves bound by democratic process, rules that apply to other civil servants, or the wishes of their chief. They will display the decals and to hell with City Council , the Police Commission and their boss. Koenig estimates 80 per cent of Calgary police cars display the stickers on any given day, and boasts officers have backup decals to replace any that are removed.

It's very comforting to know that 80 per cent of the cops on our streets make up their own rules. But then what are you going to do, arrest them?