 By Pepper Parr
January 11th, 2021- 9:45 pm
BURLINGTON, ON
From a source that has never let us down before we were told that Oakville Mayor Rob Burton has or will be resigning as Chair of the Halton Regional Police Services Board.
In an email from Burton to the Board members they were advised that there will be a Special Meeting of the Board.
Burton said: “In response to concerns regarding Chief Tanner’s recent travel to the U.S., the Halton Police Board will be holding a special meeting on Friday January 15th to obtain legal advice.
“This meeting will be closed to the public, as permitted under the Police Services Act. The Board will deal with the matter at its next public meeting 9.am. January 28th, which will be held by Zoom.”
Chief Tanner was reported to have left Canada and entered the United States with a person who is the president of a nationally known advocacy group that has chapters in Burlington, Oakville and Milton.
Early reports were that Tanner had sought permission from Chair Burton to travel who said that at the time, the first day of the province wide lock down, that he had no objections.
Related news stories:
Chief of Police travels to the United States during lock down.
Chair of Police Services said at the time that he had no objections to the travel.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON December 15, 2011 – Gary Crowell, the Chief of Halton Regional Police is hanging up his pistols and will take retirement in June of 2012. After 41 years of policing, which started with a stint with the RCMP, the chief, who has been with the Halton Regional Police Service since 1999, when he was brought in as Deputy Chief, is bringing a police career to an end.
Crowell was promoted to Chief in 2006. Prior to coming to Halton, he served with the Peel Regional Police Service.
Police Services Board Chairman Bob Maich and other members of the Board commended and thanked Chief Crowell for his dedication to the Service, and to the community. “The Board is proud of the Chief’s many accomplishments attained over the years. Through the leadership, integrity and decisiveness of Chief Crowell, the Police Service team, the Region of Halton, and all community members have benefited from his contributions”, said Bob Maich. “The Board looks forward to his continued leadership through this transition period.”
 Chief Gary Crowell has announced his retirement for June of 2012. Police Services Board gears up to find a replacement. Chief Crowell thanked the Board for their incredible support and guidance during his six years as Chief. He also thanked the members of the Service for their dedication and commitment in making the Halton Police Service a very effective and professional organization. “With the excellence of the Service team and many volunteers, our community partners and Halton citizens, I am proud that Halton has been able to maintain its recognition as the safest Regional Municipality in Canada”, remarked Crowell. “I will continue my commitment to the Service through to June, 2012.”
Throughout his career, Crowell has been committed to the betterment of the Service and the community. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) Crime Prevention Committee, the National Child and Youth Protection Advisory Committee and the Halton Poverty Roundtable. He served on the Joseph Brant Hospital Board of Governors for nine years. He is also the recipient of the Police Exemplary Service Medal, the Order of Merit, the Gold Medal for Excellence by the Human Rights and Race Relations Centre, and the Ontario Women in Law Enforcement’s first President’s Award.
 Officer Wendy Moraghan is one of the group of women in the Halton Regional Police Service that Chief Crowell wanted to see in the service as it expanded. Here she works on some equipment with a techie as they prepare for a community presentation. Crowell was responsible for some significant changes in the number of female police in the Halton service.
The Board will meet early in the New Year to consider the process it will undertake to appoint a new Chief. The Halton Regional Police Services Board is a seven-member civilian Board that governs the Halton Regional Police. Under the Police Services Act, the Board is responsible for the provision of adequate and effective police services to the citizens of Halton Region. The Halton Regional Police Service has an authorized strength of 925 staff, a net budget of $122.2 million.
The Police Services Board is going through a budget for 2012 that looks as if it will require a tax increase of 3.2%
Among the people that will certainly be in line for the top job is Deputy Chief Bob Percy who is currently as Deputy Chief Operations responsible for all front line and investigative policing. Halton Regional Police Service Operations under his command include: District Policing, Emergency Services, Intelligence Bureau and Regional Investigative Services. This task set is the guts of policing – the reason we have men and women in police cars with guns on their hips.
Prior to his promotion to Deputy Chief in May 2008, Deputy Chief Percy served in a wide variety of uniform patrol duties, including as a Coach Officer, Tactical Rescue Unit officer, patrol supervisor, and District Superintendent.
 Deputy Chief Bob Percy has handled some tricky situations in Burlington while he did his best to bring competitive cycling to the Region. He currently runs the Operations side of the Regional Police Service. Percy worked closely with the city of Burlington while they tried to work out a series of problems related to the potential for competitive level cycling that would be part of the selection of members of the Canadian Olympic Team. The problems proved to be insurmountable in large measure to the cost of police services to handle traffic control.
A couple of months later Chief Crowell appeared before Burlington city council to tell them that Burlington was doing OK from a policing point of view. The city had not seen the chief for some time. During that visit Superintendent Joe Taylor took part in the reporting event. That was another first for some time. Supt. Taylor proved to be a man with a sense of responsibility laced with a bit of a sense of humour. That wasn’t a personality trait evident in most senior police officers.
Police Services tend to look within when there are changes in the top levels. They tend to look for people who are thoroughly familiar with the community and know everyone in the chain of command.
Another candidate that will get a very close look for promotion is Deputy Chief Andrew Fletcher who began his policing career with the Halton Regional Police Service as a Cadet in 1984. He oversees Community Policing Administration as the Deputy Chief responsible for Community Policing Support, Human Resources, Training, Communications Bureau, Information Services, Courts Services, Records, and Administrative Support Services.
 Deputy Chief Fletcher currently runs the Administrative side of the Halton Regional Police Service. Deputy Chief Fletcher is a strong advocate for community policing and public safety. He is dedicated to building relationships with the community through a number of proactive policing and crime prevention initiatives.
Deputy Chief Fletcher also represents the HRPS on a number of provincial policing committees and liaises with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, and other police and emergency service agencies to ensure Halton remains as safe tomorrow as it is today.
In his spare time, Deputy Chief Fletcher enjoys spending time with his family and is actively involved in the community, including spending most of his spare time on local soccer fields as a coach with the Burlington Youth Soccer Club.
Halton Regional Police Service Community Policing Administration functions under his command include: Community Policing , Human Resources, Training Bureau, Communications Bureau, Information Services, Court Services, Records and Administrative Support Services
Deputies Fletcher and Percy came to the Halton Regional Police service at the same time in 1984. Has there been some rivalry between these two men ever since they came out of the police academy and put on uniforms with the same shoulder patch?
Whoever the new police chief is – that person will face a community that is seeing criminals from Toronto and Hamilton slip into Burlington where they sense the pickings are a little easier. There was an LCBO break in during the early hours that required more than twenty minutes for a patrol car to arrive on the scene. Maybe some tightening up within the ranks on the street is needed.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON December 15, 2011 Here’s a criminal who might have thought he had an easy score but after some effort he had to leave the scene of his crime empty handed – but he did get his picture taken. If you know this bandit call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes)
 If you know this thug - call Crime Stoppers. This all started just after 2:40 a.m. on December 5th, when a male suspect pried open the back door of Thistle Fish and Chips located at 3455 Fairview Street. Once inside, the suspect pried open a locked cash register and a desk drawer to search for cash. The suspect eventually left empty handed.
The suspect was captured on surveillance video and is described as a male, white, 5’7” tall, heavy build, short brown hair, and wore eyeglasses. He was wearing a green undershirt with a beige hooded sweatshirt, a blue jean jacket, black pants and black running shoes with a white emblem.
Assuming the police catch this one, the picture they take – the mug shot – will be a lot clearer.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON December 7, 2011 – Nelson High School students got a chance to learn just what happens when there is more alcohol in your system than the legal limit and a police officer asks you to walk a straight line.
Part of the training session included a quick quiz that was set out in a different news story that you can find at: https://www.burlingtongazette.ca/?p=5920
 Two Nelson high school students do their best to stay on the green line wearing Fatal Vision goggles during a Halton Regional Police RIDE program. Here are the answers to the ten questions the students were asked:
Question 1 False
Question 2 False
Question 3 True
Question 4 False
Question 5 False
Question 6 False – A G1 has to have a qualified driver with them – and being drunk means you’re not qualified – bit tricky that one.
Question 7 False
Question 8 False
Question 9 False – the licence is suspended for a period of 90 days
Question 10 True – but if you’re drinking and driving and the police have the evidence – there isn’t a lot your lawyer can do for you.
The students will have had problems with some of those questions – the media officer we went to for the answers had to look up the answer on more than one occasion.
 Male students at Nelson High had just as much difficulty as female students trying to stay on the green line while wearing Fatal Vision goggles. They also got a very up close experience with a breathalyzer and came away with a firm understanding of what the police do if they pull you over and ask you to blow. And in the quick quiz the students did later in the training session they got to learn what they knew and didn’t know about the rules in place to control driving if you’ve been drinking.
It was a bit of fun and they got to laugh at their friends while they tried to walk the green line set out on the gymnasium floor. None of them could stay on the line and most were nowhere near the line.
The day was part of the Regional Police RIDE program that had police officers at several regional high schools as well as being out on the streets with their cruisers pulling drivers over to politely ask if the driver had been drinking. If there was any concern on the part of the police officer – the driver would be asked to breathe into a breathalyzer and perhaps try to walk a straight line. Failure to do either of the requests and they are placed in a cruiser and taken to a police station.
The vast majority of people have not been drinking, although this year on the first day of the program in Burlington, three people were charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol.
For those that are clear the police hand out a small card, created by grade four and five students in regional schools. The card does drive the message home.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, on December 7, 2011 – Nelson High School students – all 1500 of them were in the hands of the Halton Regional Police for a good part of Tuesday morning. They were being taken through some “experiential training” on what happens to a person when their drinking has gone over the legal limit.
The experience was a bit of a shock to many of them.
 This is the one thing you do not want to see should you be pulled over by the police. The smile on Cst. Mike Korda is nice enough - but that little grey box is not good news. If you don't drink and drive Korda will be your buddy. Halton Regional Police have been attending at Halton high schools and showing students what breathing into the breathalyzer was all about; what happens to their bodies when they have consumed alcohol and are asked by a police officer to step out of the car and attempt to walk in a straight line and then to write a short quiz on what the rules are when it comes to drinking and driving.
Many of the parents of these students can remember a day when it was very common to say to a guest at a house party to “have one for the road” which meant you threw back a drink, thumped your chest and got behind the wheel.
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) brought a very painful and realistic look to what happens when people drink and drive and as a result of their efforts we see programs like the one at Nelson High School.
 HRPS Cst. Mark Vegso holds the "Fatal Vision" goggles students at Nelson High experimented with earlier this week. It was a strong lesson. Each year the Halton Regional Police roll out their RIDE program – this year HRPS arrested three people for drunk driving on the first day of the program. Seems like we have some distance to go yet before we rid ourselves of this menace.
The police take their rotating RIDE crews around the Region and stop traffic, ask drivers if they have been drinking, and if they suspect any use of alcohol they invite the driver to breathe into the little grey box and see if they can walk a straight line.
If the driver can’t – their car is impounded and they get taken to the police station.
Cst. Mark Vegso is one of the Regional police officers who is assigned to a high school, in his case it is a school in Oakville, where he handles small discipline situations, trespass problems and is in the school regularly to keep an eye on things and to also serve as a contact for students who want to talk to a police officer but don’t want to go to a police station. Cst. Vegso also teach some law classes in the school.
Failure to provide a breath sample is also a criminal offence. The police officers doing the training make the experience very, very realistic – there is little doubt in the mind of the student just what they are being asked to do and why. Many of the students must have walked away from the breathalyzer table shuddering with the thought if they are ever asked to blow into the little grey box – they are in serious trouble. The objective is that hopefully they will look for a lift before getting behind a wheel if they’ve been drinking.
The goggles used to experience what it is like to be asked to walk a straight line with alcohol in your body. The goggles, which are made in Mexico and referred to as “Fatal Vision” goggles cost $1000. each. But they do the job.
 Staying on that green light with goggles that simulated an alcohol level over 70 was not quite as easy as this young lady thought it was going to be. The students found that they could not walk a straight line – more frightening to all of them was that they couldn’t really see the line – it was just a blur and kept moving out of their field of vision. The goggles used to simulate a situation where the user was slightly under the legal limit resulted in a scary experience. The goggles used to simulate situations where the user was well over the limit – like 2.0 and up – made it very clear that driving with that much alcohol in you would result in your death or that of someone else you ran into. And there was no doubt – you could not operate a car effectively or safely with that much alcohol in your system. It was a pretty blunt message.
One wonders what these students said to each other as they gathered in the cafeteria for lunch with their lap tops open in front of them. The Regional police wondered and at the end of the training sessions – they left hoping they’d done the job.
Part of the training session included a quick quiz on drinking and driving. Test results and more on the RIDE program are at: https://www.burlingtongazette.ca/?p=5937
1: The legal limit of alcohol to be present in your blood while behind the wheel of a motor vehicle is 100. T/F
2: The legal limit for a G1 or G2 driver is 50. T/F
3: A person can be charged with impaired driving after smoking marijuana. T/F
4: It is acceptable for open alcohol to be inside your car. T/F
5: It is not a criminal offence to be intoxicated in the driver’s seat.. T/F
 Friends look on a Nelson High student tries to keep his feet on the green line while using "driving under the influence of alcohol testing goggles". 6: G drivers who are accompanying G! drivers can be intoxicated while in the passenger seat. T/F
7: A person charged with Over 80 must always be charged with Impaired Driving. T/F
8: A person can refuse to provide a legally demanded breath sample and not be charged for refusing to provide a breath sample. T/F
 Nelson High students write the ten question quick quiz. How would you have done with the test? Try it. 9: Upon being charged with Refusal or Over 80, a person’s driver’s licence shall be suspended for a period of 30 days. T/F
10: A police officer shall read you your rights to counsel upon arrest for Over 80. T/F
Being charged with any kind of a drinking related offence and found guilty will impact your driver’s licence – which is nothing compared to what it is going to do to your insurance rate. While you may be allowed eventually to drive again – you may not be able to afford to – and if the car you were driving belonged to your parents – they are not going to be very sympathetic.
Drinking is not a crime – just do so responsibly.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 21, 2011 – Are you interested in learning more about the Forensic Identification Unit, the Tactical and Rescue Unit, or the Collision Reconstruction Unit? Are you curious to know what it’s really like to be a police officer? Want to know about fraud and identity theft prevention?
The Halton Regional Police Service still has spots available for the upcoming session of the Citizen Police Academy. This informative and innovative program runs from 7-10 pm every Tuesday night for ten weeks, between January 24th and March 27th.
Each week participants are given presentations on various aspects of the Police Service. Just a few of the areas of the Police Service that are covered include Recruiting, Hostage Negotiations, Major Crime Investigations, Diversity, Police Training Unit, Polygraph, Morality/Drugs, and the Communications Bureau.
 Halton Regional Police offering community, police support training. Application form on the web site This voluntary program is designed for anyone who wants to improve their knowledge of their local Police Service, and policing in Canada in general. Preference is given to persons who reside in, work in, or own a business in the Region of Halton.
Sergeant Kim Hill, Community Policing Support, is the driving force behind this effort. She can be reached at 905 825-4747 x4901 or be in touch with Wendy Gzechowski, Community Policing Support, 905 825-4747 x5042
There is more information on the HRPS web site along with an application form.
www.haltonpolice.ca – click on Community Policing/Public Safety & Education folder.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON November 11, 2011 Between August 29th and September 10th, five nail and hair salons on Plains Rd, in the area of King Rd were broken into. In each incident the front door was smashed to gain entry. Small amounts of cash ranging from $10 to $100 were stolen. In one of the break and enter, a 42 inch LCD television was taken.
This type of petty crime is often the result of drug addicts looking for something easy and can be a signal that there are concerns about safety in the community.. The police know how to handle this type of situation but they need your eyes on the street. Be vigilant.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes)
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON. October 31, 2011 Loss Prevention Staff pounced on two thieves at the Wal-Mart store on Fairview Street yesterday at 5:30 p.m.
The lone male suspect was caught outside the store with approximately $560 worth of stolen merchandise stuffed into a shopping bag. Police were brought in and further investigation revealed an accomplice, and the discovery of a parked vehicle belonging to the suspects. The vehicle was loaded with additional stolen property.
 Retail store cameras catch every move a thief makes - they see you even if you're not a thief The same two suspects were already being investigated for another Wal-Mart theft that occurred on October 15th at the Dundas Street location in Burlington. In that incident the suspects loaded up two shopping bags with shaving razors and blades totaling $6000.
Two from Toronto were charged with multiple offences:
Steven BENNETT, 38 years, of Toronto has been charged with Theft Over $5000; Theft Under $5000 and possession of Stolen Property Under $5000 They got this guy coming and going – look for some plea bargaining on this one.
Hali SNOW, 32 years, also of Toronto has been charged with theft Over $5000., theft under $5000., possession of Stolen Property Under $5000 and fail to comply with a Probation Order (two counts) Ms Snow is clearly not a nice lady.
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 21, 2011 – On October 20th at 10:36 p.m. Halton Police got an alarm call from the Future Shop, 3060 Davidson Court, Burlington. Thieves had broken into a vacant store next to the electronics store, broken through the wall and began stealing.
Suspects stole approximately $30, 000 in electronics, including Apple iPads (second generation), BlackBerry Playbooks, and Beats by Dr Dre headphones.
The following suspect descriptions were acquired from surveillance video footage:
 Safe, confidential place to help keep your community crime free. Suspect 1 – Male, wearing a blue jacket with a white vertical stripe on the arms, black hooded sweater with the hood up, jeans, and gloves.
Suspect 2 – Male, white, mid to late 40’s, dark hair, wearing a black baseball hat, black coat, white running shoes, dark pants carrying a hockey bag,
Suspect 3 – Male, white, wearing a dark jacket, dark jeans, dark shoes, carrying a hockey bag.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crimes).
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 27, 2011 This is an odd one. Sometime last week unknown suspect(s) smashed the front glass door to gain entry to A1 Transmission located on 4179 Harvester Road. It appears that the lobby and the office were entered, however no items were disturbed. Total loss of the damage glass door is valued at $300.
Here is what is odd about this: – the break in took place sometime between 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on October 22nd, a Saturday – in the afternoon to early evening.
Wouldn’t the shop have been open at that time?
 Fuzzy information on this Crime Stopper request for help. The police report says that shortly after the break and enter, (hold it – they have the time as between 1:30 pm and 8:00 pm – confusing) a small modified blue Honda car was observed exiting the driveway at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was last seen travelling westbound on Harvester Road.
The whole story obviously isn’t here – but if you know something both Crime Stoppers and the police would appreciate your help.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes)
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 21, 2011 The police need your help in locating a vehicle that struck a 12-yr-old girl, at the intersection of Appleby Line and Lakeshore Road, Burlington early in October.
It was 4:30 pm. In the afternoon, the girl had just exited her school bus and was walking westbound across Appleby Line when a vehicle travelling west on Lakeshore Road, turned north onto Appleby Line and struck her.
The vehicle ran over the girl’s foot, causing her to fall to the ground and scrape one of her knees. As a direct result of being struck, the girl sustained a fractured foot.
The driver of the vehicle stopped briefly, but subsequently left the scene prior to police arrival. The police are looking for a male, non-white, 45-55 years old, short black hair (spiky), wrinkly face, with a high-pitched voice. The driver was wearing blue jeans and a jogging style ‘Adidas’ jacket.
The vehicle is a black, 4-door sedan, with a spoiler on back.
The driver of the vehicle knew what he had done – he could have and should have remained at the scene of the accident. For failing to do so – he just may spend some of his time in a jail cell – that will only happen if he is apprehended – and that will only happen if you help. Keep your streets safe – make the call if you know anyone who drives a black four dour sedan with a spoiler on the back. Police will take it from there.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to contact Detective John Ophoven at 905 825-4747 x2307, or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 TIPS(8477), the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637(crime).
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 17, 2011 – While Thanksgiving weekend is a bit behind us now – it is a date that will remain on the minds of a number of people in Halton Region who had unintended meetings with a police cruiser or an unmarked police car during the holiday.
Halton Regional Police report that laid the following charges:
Impaired Driving – 9 charges
Roadside Suspensions – 14
 - More than 500 people got to see this crest up real close and personal on Thanksgiving weekend. More than 500 calls to lawyers made later in the day.
Distracted Driving – 79 charges(including 43 in relation to hand-held devices)
Aggressive Driving – 405 charges(including 340 for speeding)
Seatbelt Offences – 22 charges
Prohibited Driving – 7 charges
Dangerous Driving – 4 charges
These were part of a national road safety partnership called Operation Impact and they will certainly have an “impact” on those that were pulled over. The goal of the program was to remind drivers that an essential part of traffic education and enforcement is to save lives and reduce injuries on our roadways.
Assigned officers focused on behaviour that puts drivers, passengers and other road users at risk: impaired driving, seat belt use and all aspects related to aggressive/distracted driving. The focus resulted in a total of 540 Highway Traffic Act charges being laid. Great day for the lawyers.
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 14, 2100 The Halton Regional Police seek the public’s assistance in identifying a car theft suspect. And if you’re offered a good deal on a 2007 Jaguar – call the police.
Get the picture. It is a Tuesday, October 11, 2011 to be exact at 2:45 p.m. A man enters a car dealership on the South Service Road and Bronte Road, Oakville.
While there the man steals a set of keys and walks out into the dealer parking lot and drives off with a car. How did the man manage to lift the keys off whatever hook they were on ? No one at the dealership is saying and the police didn’t provide that level of detail. All anyone is saying is that the last the people at the dealership saw was the car being driven off the lot and heading west.
By using the cameras that track all movement along the QEW the police were able to track the car until it exited at Eastport Drive, Hamilton.
 A 2007 Jaguar XJR - black, last seen speeding west on QEW - exiting at Westport. The vehicle was a black, 2007 Jaguar XJR. When stolen it had an Ontario dealer licence plate of 960 DMY affixed to it.
The man is described as white, early 20’s, very short dark hair, 5’8″, 135 lbs, wearing large sunglasses, grey dress shirt with a black tie, dark pants (no belt) and wearing skateboard type shoes that were black with a unique light blue design.
Anyone with information that would assist in this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Paul Craig at 905 825-4747 x2261 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
Detectives in Oakville are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man responsible for the recent theft of a vehicle. That Jag was in a container on its way to Yugoslavia before the police had fully completed typing out there reports.
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 12, 2011 It was a full night for a 17 year old Oakville male who managed to stealthily enter three homes and attempt to enter into a fourth on the night of October 9th.
 The officer has complete control of the dog and while the animal is viscous and focused and he wasn’t prepared to let go of the rope the Constable was tugging at – one simple word – Kennel – and the dog slipped to the ground and walked directly to the back door of the police car and jumped in No whimpering, no looking back, no looking for a reward. A simple direct command and an immediate response. The first break in was at an Oakville home where the youth took a purse and set of car keys from the residence and subsequently stole a vehicle from the driveway. The youth repeatedly rammed another vehicle in the driveway to make good his escape, leaving debris strewn throughout the neighbourhood.
Later, early that same morning the youth broke into several units of a townhouse complex in the Northampton Boulevard area in Burlington and entered several other units while residents slept.
Halton Regional Police brought in their K9 team and successfully tracked the male, locating him inside yet another home he had entered.
A 17-yr-old male from Oakville is charged with: Break and Enter (three counts), Attempt Break and Enter, Theft over $5000, Dangerous Driving, Fail to Remain C.C. and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
Because the young man is under the age of 18 his identity is protected under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
The “controlled substance” would have played a large role in the young man’s behaviour.
Detective continue to investigate these incidents and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Bob Lester at 905 825-4747 x2335 or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 TIPS(8477) or though the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON October 6, 2011 Police have released composite drawings of two suspects who robbed a gas bar in Hornby.
The robbery took place on September 19th, 2011 at approximately 8:30 pm An armed male entered the kiosk of the Hornby Pump Gas Bar and demanded cash from the lone employee. This confrontation resulted in the employee receiving life threatening injuries, leaving him in critical condition.
Investigation has determined that two males attended the gas bar in a vehicle shortly before the attack took place. Investigators are interested in speaking with these individuals, described as:
 One of two suspects the police want to invite in for a conversation. Person of Interest #1: White, 25 to 30 years, 6’0″, medium build/somewhat muscular with black or dark short hair.
 Police drawing of second robbery suspect. Person of Interest #2: White, 40-45 years, 6’0″, salt and pepper collar-length hair.
The vehicle they were operating is described as an older model, 4-door, similar to a Ford Tempo or Mercury Topaz. It was white, off white or light grey in colour.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes)
[Facebook]
By Pepper Parr
 BURLINGTON, ON October 6, 2010 – Redo that budget and get in some money for the $75.00 fine the city wants to levy for those caught using their skate boards on city streets. Add the victim fee and that $75. which will get you as close to $100. as you want to be.
The city isn`t all that concerned about the money – it just wants to find a way to be able to control the people that are behaving recklessly and feels that a $75. fine will do the trick. Problem with the fine is that there are all kinds of legal and Highway Traffic Act concerns.
This is a delicate area – just about every kid that doesn`t use a bike, uses a skate board to get around and the law as it stands now says you cannot use a skateboard on a public road. You can use it on a side walk or in the bike lane. All the police can do now is talk to you – there is no penalty for them to levy.
The city thinks that giving the police a tool they can use will solve the problem – and when they do that they shift that problem to the police who are going to be expected to exercise discretion.
The problem is with gangs that see skate boarding as almost an extreme sport. Ward 1 councillor Rick Craven reports that there are kids who gather at night on Kerns Road where the hills and the grades are great for skate boarding. They get out there with a van and a video camera, film the thrill ride of someone speeding down the hill and post it on You Tube. The police are powerless for the most part because even if they do catch the kids behaving recklessly they can only warn them off.
Council wants to give the police a bigger stick and wanted to talk about ways that a system of fines could be put in place. But they didn`t want the police to be slapping a $75. ticket on every kid using a skate board on a public street – they wanted the police to use their discretion.
 Can you imagine drivving up the street and seeing this coming at you? Not reckless but not the safest thing to do either. Police didn`t attend the Committee of the Whole meeting – city staff said they were invited, the police say they weren`t. Our information from our media man at Regional Police was that :“ I have spoken with the Burlington Operational Inspector who advised me they were aware of the meeting you are referring to, but they (police) were not asked to be in attendance for it.“ Go figure. Methinks staff were being a little disingenuous. The police are aware of the problem and they too would like to see a solution. They are the people that have to attend when there is an accident and report that a young person has suffered serious head injuries.
Giving police the ability to issue a ticket and then expecting them to use their discretion reflects a bit of misunderstanding as to what police do. They are there to enforce the law. Give them clear rules and they will do their job – expect them to use their discretion and you invite nothing but problems. I suspect too that traffic offence lawyers will have great fun with this one should a ticket case every get to traffic court.
That said, there is a problem. Kids are creating dangerous situations in parts of the city where there are really good hills they can speed down. The city put up signs saying Skate Boarding was Prohibited – the kids tore down the signs.
The problem however is not limited to parts of the city with steep grades. Recently there was a serious accident involving a van and a young man on a skate board who was luging along a flat street. Luging is when a person lays flat on a skate board. The driver of the van just didn`t see the person on the skate board.
This problem is going to call for some very creative thinking by people who are very familiar with the Highway Traffic Act. A new fine of $75. and expecting the HRPS to exercise discretion isn`t the answer to this problem.
Educating the kids isn`t going to solve this problem either. The vast majority of the kids who glide along quiet residential streets with buds plugged into their ears meaning they don`t hear traffic approaching are harming no one. It is just a few that are creating a problem – let`s find a stick that won`t cripple them when they are hit with it – but let`s not put our police in a situation where they have to solve a problem we can`t solve.
The Highway Traffic Act says that bicycles can be used on the streets. Blades and boards can be used on a sidewalk or in a bicycle lane if one exists. Can you imagine the howls from the public if all the skate boards are suddenly on the side walk ?
Sergeant Dave Cross, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) media man, advises that HRPS does not have a Skate Board Swat Team, so we shouldn`t expect to see cruisers out on the prowl along Kerns Road every night
And as for Officer who gave me a speeding ticket for doing more than 60 on Walkers Line, ( I thought the limit was 80) – he did exercise some discretion and cut it back a bit and saved me some points. Will that kind of discretion solve our skate board problem ? Is it worth a try ?
The officer who caught me was parked behind a cluster of bushes – are we going to see officer hiding in hedges along Kerns Road with bicycles at the ready to race after skate board miscreants ?
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By Staff
 BURLINGTON, ON September 29, 2011 A couple of Halton Regional Police plainclothes officers drove over to Hamilton to locate a suspect they wanted to put handcuffs on. The suspect had some outstanding arrest warrants in both Halton Region and Hamilton. Investigation led to a residential address on Victoria Avenue. The police were permitted access to the house by the home owner for the purpose of arresting the suspect.
Two officers went downstairs identifying themselves verbally as police and located the suspect hiding in a crawl space. The suspect sprayed the officers with bear spray, forcing them to retreat from the enclosed area.
Two other officers, stationed outside the house, noticed the suspect emerging from a trap door underneath the front porch. The suspect immediately sprayed those officers and fled.
 Despite the effects of the spray and hampered vision, officers continued to pursue the suspect, while he continually sprayed them. The suspect was eventually apprehended.
You can imagine how ticked those police officers were. One of the officers sustained a serious knee injury when he ran into a fire hydrant while chasing the suspect who was spraying bear repellent at anyone who came near him. It must have looked like a scene out of wild west movie.
The suspect was identified as David Thomas of no fixed address. He was charged with Assault Police (three counts); Breach of Probation (two counts); Fail to Comply with Recognizance (two counts) and possession of a Controlled Substance. Did you know that bear spray was a controlled substance. Hamilton police assisted in the arrest. And Mr. Thomas now has a fixed address.
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