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 Posted
3/21/2009 12:00:00 AM
There has been a lot of talk the last couple of days about notorious gangster Dennis Karbovanec and the Bacon brothers and the ongoing shootings and violence we are seeing in Metro Vancouver.
In particular, a lot of people are expressing outrage at the fact Karbovanec has decided to move out of Port Moody but police aren’t telling the public his new address.
Well, I don’t understand what the big problem is. Yes, Port Moody Police took the unusual step a few weeks ago of warning the public of the danger being associated with Karbovanec and the Bacon brothers. At the time all of these gangsters were free and going about their daily lives and we were told that being around them or associated with them was risky.
It’s not the first time a warning like that had been issued. A few months ago when one of the Bacon brothers was scheduled for a court appearance in Surrey the media was told it could be dangerous covering the case. We were told being at the courthouse could put a reporter in danger. There were no specifics given but the idea was that something bad could happen and that innocent people could be hurt. At the time the media was warned but the public was not.
And now, one of the reasons given as to why there is no need to tell the public where Mr. Karbovanec is living is because he is under police surveillance. We are told because he has a court ordered curfew and several other bail conditions the risk to the public is lower.
Well, whether it is lower or isn’t is unknown. But I have this question. If police did tell us where Dennis Karbovanec is living today and you found out he was living down the street from you, down the hall from you, a block away, six blocks away, what would you do? Would you start wearing a bullet proof vest every time you went outside? Would you run to your car when you head out for groceries so you have less of a chance of being hit by stray bullets? Would you stay away from windows in your home and keep your family in the basement? Would you move? Would you dress your children in Kevlar? If you found out you were living next to Dennis Karbovanec, other than voicing your concern, calling radio talk shows to vent, or telling the police you don’t like it, what would you actually do that would change your life?
I think living near a known gangster increases safety. You will have police on your street monitoring not just the gangster, but all of the crime and suspicious activity. If someone is intent on taking out Mr. Karbovanec they likely aren’t going to do it while there is a police car parked outside.
Think back over the last few weeks to all of the gunplay we have seen and heard. I can think of the brazen shooting outside the IGA in broad daylight, the woman shot dead in her car with her 4 year old son in the back seat, the man shot and killed during a fight in a surrey cul-de-sac, the list of recent, very visible, very frightening shootings goes on.
Now think about the victims in each one of these shootings. Not one of those victims was the subject of a warning issued by police. Not one of them had been flagged by police as being dangerous. Not one of them had had their home address flagged and provided to the public. Not one of their neighbours had any idea being around them might be dangerous. And not one innocent neighbour died simply because they lived in the same neighborhood.
Yes, a lot of people say they want to know where Dennis Karbovanec is living. People claim if only they knew his whereabouts they would be safer. No you wouldn’t. If anything, it would create a false sense of security that somehow by knowing where he lives, you suddenly have the power to protect yourself. You do not.
There are dangerous people everywhere. And if you look at the numbers, your chances of dying in the crossfire of a gang shooting are miniscule compared to the long list of other things that could happen to you.
Given the choice, I would much rather know where sex offenders live, where convicted pedophiles live, where drug addicts with dozens of break and enter convictions live, where those responsible for violent home invasions live. Because whether you know them or not, people with those convictions who have served time and may or may not have been rehabilitated, live in your neighborhood too. Sure, they don’t drive fancy cars and they don’t live the flashy lives of gangsters that we hear about daily but they could pose a risk to the public. Even when police issue warnings about a violent sex offender who has been released to a halfway house and is considered a high risk to re-offend we are not told where the halfway house is located. We are just given a picture or a description and told to be careful. Why aren’t people more outraged by that? That’s not a risk of simply being caught up in a gang war, that’s a risk of being targeted because a rapist lives down the street.
My point is a police warning about the home of a known gangster doesn’t do anything to keep us safe. All it does is cover the ass of the police department should an innocent person get hurt. It allows the police to say, “We’re sorry, but we warned you to be careful.”
Knowing where Dennis Karbovanec lives isn’t going to keep anyone safe. Putting him in jail and ending the gang war will. But until that happens, and it will be a while, stop fretting about it. There are far greater threats out there to worry about.
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Jill Bennett
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As you usual, you make the most sense. The only problem is that most people in Vancouver isn't. That's why there are all sorts of stupid problems in Vancouver. Well, like we don't know it's fishy that some young guy is driving a fancy car that he couldn't afford if he works in a regular job. No wonder kids wants to be in gangs, party away, driving fancy cars and living in a nice apartment. So if these politician and police will understand this, maybe they can really solve the problem. Good job, Jill
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Posted By
Mitchell Huang
On
3/22/2009 10:47:51 PM
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