[420 Girl]

There's a lot to be shocked about concerning the fouled-up police raid Sunday night on the Abbotsford home of the Fast family.

But the most worrying aspect in Province columnist Ethan Baron's report Wednesday about the botched operation was a statement attributed to one sergeant that "all he had to do was say he smelled marijuana growing" to secure a warrant to search someone's home. Police later claimed they provided "visual indicators" of marijuana to get the warrant, but wouldn't say what those were.

Whatever "visual indicators" they claim to have seen couldn't have been, for instance, actual marijuana, since none was found at the Fasts' home. And police admitted that before the raid that they were a little bewildered when they checked that none of the Fasts had criminal records. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to give anyone in the department pause to reconsider launching a raid by multiple officers with guns drawn and handcuff the entire family in front of their neighbours and stuff them into police cruisers.

The red-faced police are now investigating how they could mess up so badly. But a more important question for the government is for someone to look into which judge or justice of the peace in Abbotsford is issuing search warrants based on the vague smell of pot in the neighbourhood. By that low standard, any homeowner could suddenly find cops in their home and guns in their face. And that should never happen in a country that claims to be free.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The Province
Contact: The Province
Copyright: 2010 The Province
Website: Standard for search warrants is appalling


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