Feb 2/2022 Is the mistrust of the Saanich Police Department justified?
There are likely many reasons why Lindsay Buziak’s murder is not solved and it is unfair to put the blame solely on the Saanich Police, especially the hard working detectives currently working the case. I am more apt to put the blame on our beleaguered legal system. None of us know what goes on behind closed doors and if mistakes were made throughout the investigation, we don’t know what those mistakes were or who made them. Frank Leonard was the Mayor of Saanich in 2008 when Lindsay was murdered He declined to even speak publicly about it – and at the time I found that most disturbing. The Saanich Police were presented with a horrific contaminated crime scene with no DNA, no forensic evidence, and no weapon. The murder was well planned and orchestrated by someone very close to Lindsay. Some of the blame for her unsolved murder must lie on the silence of those that know something and won’t come forward. And let’s not forget the conspirators who are sitting back believing they’ve gotten away with murder. All because they know people are too afraid to come forward.
SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO GET INVOLVED
I often hear, “I won’t talk to the police, because I don’t trust them.” But wait a minute, how are the police ever going to solve Lindsay’s murder if someone who knows something doesn’t come forward with what they know? The distrust of the police is not an excuse for not coming forward with information that could help solve Lindsay’s murder. Isn’t it all about doing the right thing by Lindsay?
Some of the responsibility for this unsolved murder lies who those who know something but choose not to come forward. This is the main reason the conspirators are sitting back believing they’ve gotten away with murder. They know that people are too afraid to talk to the police.
There are many people out there who have not yet been touched by crime, and for that reason they don’t pay attention or just don’t care when a murder occurs in their community. But when a murder lands on their doorstep, everything changes and they are looking to the community for support. Don’t be apathetic to the criminal element that surrounds us. A murder in someone else’s home might just be a murder in your home one day – and when that happens you will need all the support you can get.
THE CONSPIRATORS HAVE DEFINITELY NOT GOTTEN AWAY WITH MURDER. THE POLICE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THEY WILL BE KNOCKING ON THEIR DOOR. Most likely somewhere up on Bear Mountain.
The murder clearance rates in this country sits just under 40%, a clear indication that you if you want to murder someone you have a good chance of getting away with it. There are dangerous consequences when homicides go unsolved. People will put the blame on the government, the police and the criminal justice system knowing they are not taking homicides as seriously as they should be. Along with that comes a serious distrust of the police and the justice system, and that is understandable.
IS A UNIFIED POLICE FORCE THE SOLUTION TO INVESTIGATING FUTURE CRIME OF THIS NATURE?
Retired RCMP officer Colin Nielsen, a participant who attended the Lindsay Buziak Memorial Walk for Justice on Wednesday certainly believes regional policing is the way to go. When interviewed by Black Press Media Colin had this to say. “It’s sad that this investigation has gone on so long and there’s been no outcome. I’m a firm believer in regional policing. Now that’s now going to help in Lindsay’s case, but I think if we had one unified police department in Greater Victoria we’d get better outcomes of any future horrific crimes like this one happening, rather than our fractured system that we have right now.”
Colin Nielsen wrote an article on regional policing a few years ago, stating that he believed regional policing was the only way to go if we are to reduce the amount of major crimes in our cities and municipalities. The first step towards regional policing occurred in 2003, when the Victoria Police Department began policing Esquimalt. Taxpayers in Victoria and Esquimalt now share the costs of policing the reginal core and downtown Victoria. Other municipalities contribute nothing to policing the downtown core.
Resistance by Saanich was always the major obstacle to moving forward on regional policing.
Saanich chose NOT to participate in the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit when it was formed in 2010. Colin believes that Saanich should have jumped at the opportunity to join the Integrated Major Crime Unit, which would have created a much larger pool of investigators to work on this horrendous crime. Even though Saanich has now joined the unit, it is doing so in an underwhelming way. The population of Saanich exceeds that of Victoria and Esquimalt combined. Victoria and Esquimalt have provided six officers and one civilian to VIMCU since the unit’s inception at a cost of about $900,000 annually.
In announcing that Saanich will join the Integrated unit, Mayor Frank Leonard said Saanich’s cost for three officers and one support person would be $400,000, 45 per cent of Victoria’s cost. Another example of inequity occurred when Victoria announced the redeployment of one member of the Domestic Violence Unit to other duties. Created in 2010 as a result of the Lee/Park murder-suicide in Oak Bay in 2007, the unit was originally staffed with two officers from Victoria and one each from the RCMP and Saanich. Once again, Victoria committed twice as many resources as Saanich, even though Saanich has the larger population. When Victoria was forced to redeploy one officer to other duties, it was criticized, even though it was just reducing its commitment to equal Saanich’s.
THESE ARE TWO EXAMPLES THAT DEMONSTRATE WHY INTEGRATION HAS FAILED AND WHY REGIONALIZATION IS NECESSARY.
Comment: Province must take the lead on regional policing – Victoria Times Colonist
Criminologists say the falling rates are due to underfunding and a re-distribution of resources away from major crime. And what the hell, Crown counsel will only lay charges in cases that are likely to see a conviction in the courts. The community distrust plays a powerful role and makes it difficult for police to get co-operating witnesses to come forward in order to solve murders. If people don’t feel protected by their local law enforcement agency they certainly are not going to co-operate.
Well, let’s tell it like it really is, we no longer have a justice system in this country, we have a legal system. and this legal system is not working.
What is even more frightening about all these unsolved murders is that the criminals know that they can get away with murdering someone, and if they got away with it once why not do it again. The lack of arrests in our communities keep the repeat offenders on the streets free to commit more murders. If they get caught, they are not overly concerned, they will have their fast-talking, smooth-walking, high priced, high profile lawyer on speed dial, and that 3-piece suit will be ready to jump through hoops to get his client acquitted, knowing it will be one big payday and a whole shit load of publicity.
One misstep by the prosecution, one T not crossed or one bleeding heart sitting on the jury and it’s all over but the crying. Just ask Victoria’s criminal lawyer Hickford, who in the last 25 years has represented nearly every slime-ball murderer, drug dealer, pimp, and thief in Victoria. He is a master who steps into a courtroom and uses every trick in the book to get his client off and in many cases he has done just that.
The victims of crime, and the families of the victims of crime IN THIS COUNTRY will rarely see justice for their loved oneS
And there is not one high-priced criminal lawyer around that gives a damn – because it’s all about the money. If the prosecution is to have a chance of winning in the courts they need to have one hell of a powerful case. And for that they need to trust that the police will bring them the solid evidence needed to lay charges and get a conviction in the courts.
The Lindsay Buziak Memorial Walk for Justice held Wednesday February 2/2022 was a huge success. Lots of people turned out for the event and the media presence was strong. Lindsay’s father is doing his utmost to ensure that his daughter’s murder is never forgotten and he has done just that.
SAANICH TO JOIN ISLAND MAJOR CROME UNIT NEWS DEC. 5, 2012 NEWS KYLE SLAVIN REPORTER
MUNICIPALITY FACES TAX HIKE FOR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO JOIN SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATIVE UNIT.
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) could soon take on a broader geographic role with four members from the Saanich Police Department joining the team. The announcement came at Monday night’s Saanich council meeting from Mayor Frank Leonard, who also chairs the Saanich police board. “This is consistent with our philosophy. We really want a strong, community-based department, and that’s the front end of policing, but we’ve always looked for ways that the support and specialized services be integrated,” Leonard said.
The agreement will see three uniformed officers and one civilian employee join the Island-wide unit. Those lost positions will be backfilled, Leonard says. Sgt. Dean Jantzen, speaking on behalf of Chief Const. Mike Chadwick, says the removal of three investigative officers from the department will not adversely affect Saanich residents. “We will not be compromising our investigative capacity,” he said. Under an existing contract, the Saanich police department investigates many crimes that occur in Oak Bay. Once approved, VIIMCU will cover major crimes in Saanich and Oak Bay.
“Our understanding is Saanich’ s decision to join VIIMCU means we’re going be taken into the fold,” said Oak Bay deputy police chief Kent Thom.
Oak Bay is not contributing officers to the unit. Leonard says while the decision to join VIIMCU was up to Chadwick, the chief still needs the blessing of the Saanich police board and council, come budget season next year. Taxpayers will be on the hook for an estimated $400,000 per year as part of joining VIIMCU. “That’s almost half a per cent of a tax increase,” the mayor said. “Sometimes (council) will be split at the municipal budget side on decisions that are $5,000 and $6,000. This is (financially) a difficult decision.”
Jantzen said there is no specific rationale for deciding to join the team in 2013, other than that VIIMCU now has a proven investigative track record elsewhere on the island. “It’s not that we’ve been ignoring (VIIMCU) up to now. We’ve been watching what they’re doing,” he said. “When you drill right down, rather than the chief asking for (money in the budget for) four new constables, he asked to join this unit to invest in this increased investigative capacity.”Rumours have been circulating for years about Saanich police joining VIIMCU. In November 2011, Jantzen told the News that talks were underway.
“There’s been no dramatic change in philosophy … we’ve reviewed this on a yearly basis since (VIIMCU’s) inception,” he said in 2011. “We now believe the factors exist where there is a net benefit to our community.” Eighteen officers currently make up the integrated unit, formed in 2007. Six come from Victoria, two from the West Shore RCMP, and the remaining 10 are from various Island RCMP detachments.
While no firm dates have been set, Leonard anticipates Saanich officers will be part of the unit in early 2013.
UNSOLVED MAJOR CRIMES IN SAANICH – LIKE THE 2008 MURDER OF LINDSAY BUZIAK – WON’T BE TAKEN OVER BY VIIMCU FOR INVESTIGATION.
EMAIL ADDRESS: murderondesousa@gmail.com