Retired Winnipeg cops bash brass in gun registry fight

Three former senior Winnipeg police officers broke ranks with the organizations representing cops across the country Thursday, to voice their support for a Manitoba MP’s private members bill to scrap the controversial long gun registry.

And they claimed a serving Winnipeg cop who’d been wounded in a shootout was ordered by police brass to keep quiet and stay out of the bitter political fight.

Retired Winnipeg Police Inspector Jack Tinsley called the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and Canadian Police Association “political” and “not in touch with what is taking place on the streets” during dueling press conferences in Ottawa.

Tinsley, retired Sergeant David Shipman and retired Sergeant Mitch McCormick lined up alongside Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner today to back her bill calling for the abolition of the registry of rifles and shotguns.

Earlier, the associations representing chiefs, police boards and rank and file cops across the country joined forces in a news conference to announce the latest steps in their campaign to save the gun registry. They insist the registry does save lives by allowing officers to know in advance where firearms are located.

“The knowledge of who possesses firearms helps us to prevent tragic events virtually every day in this country,” said William Blair, Toronto police chief and president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

But the former Winnipeg cops dispute that, arguing criminals do not register their weapons. Tinsley pointed to the December 2006 incident on Jubilee Avenue in Winnipeg, when Daniell Anderson opened fire with a shotgun on officers during a drug raid. Three officers and the suspect were wounded in the ensuing gunfight. Tinsley says the shotgun fired at officers was not registered.

“The long gun registry provided nothing to prevent this tragedy,” Tinsley said.

And the Winnipeg ex-cops claim most front line police officers agree with them, but are muzzled and badly represented by their leaders.

“The front line officers are still police officers. I think police leaders have ceased to perform that function and have become more political and are perhaps not in touch with what is taking place on the streets on a day to day basis,” Tinsley said.

Tinsley also claimed the officer wounded in the Jubliee shooting – who is still a serving cop – was ordered by WPS brass not to share his views on the gun registry.

"This officer I speak of has been denied the right to appear here personally and relay his story to you himself, he has been effectively silenced," Tinsley said.

Winnipeg police chief Keith McCaskill was not available for comment today on which side of the argument he supports.