www.cbc.ca/cp/world/060203/w020358.html

B.C. border guards leave their post after alert about Montana fugitive

11:40:01 EST Feb 3, 2006

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - A fugitive who led law enforcement officers on two separate chases and caused Canadian customs officers to walk off the job was apprehended Thursday night in a city park here.

Responding to a tip, officers from four agencies surrounded Michael Murphy, 32, who was hiding in bushes at Kiwanis Park.

Flathead County Sheriff's Sgt. Bob Provo said Murphy was unarmed.

Earlier Thursday, Canadian customs officers at the Roosville border crossing in southeastern British Columbia walked off the job over an alert that Murphy might be heading to the border, union spokesman Ron Moran said.

Moran said a female border officer received word Wednesday night that Murphy might be headed to Canada from Montana. She was told he might be armed and dangerous.

The officer stayed on the job for fear of being disciplined, he said.

Management responded by telephoning the border guard every 15 minutes, Moran said.

"That's how they decided to deal with it. 'I'll call you every 15 minutes to see if you're alive,' " he said.

A senior officer came to relieve her Thursday morning, learned of the situation and walked off the job, he said.

Management took over and called in the RCMP for backup.

The Canada Border Services Agency has said the guards have the legal right to refuse to work if they believe they are in imminent danger.

As it stands, border guards are supposed to allow anyone suspected of being armed and dangerous into Canada and then call police.

Dan Liebel, local president of the Customs Excise Union, said the situation shows that Canada's border guards need to be armed.

The incident began around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, when officers with the Adult Probation and Parole Department, along with Kalispell police, went to Murphy's home in northwest Kalispell to conduct a search.

Murphy has been convicted of two counts of forgery, two counts of theft, deceptive practices and bail jumping, according to the Montana Department of Corrections.

When he saw the officers approaching, he fled in an SUV, Kalispell Police Chief Frank Garner said.

Police ended the chase when Murphy reached dangerous speeds.

Murphy then called authorities and said he wouldn't be taken alive, Garner said.

At about 10 p.m. Wednesday, a Montana Highway Patrol officer spotted Murphy, and another pursuit ensued. Garner said a police officer rolled his patrol car during the chase and suffered minor injuries.

That chase ended near Lone Pine State Park, where Murphy abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot.

seriously what was she going to do? hockey stick him to death?

They're unarmed, and it's specifically written into their contract that they can abandon post in a case of upcoming danger. I'm not shocked.

If my employers disarmed me I would certainly leave the area as well.  No sense taking one for the team in those circumstances.

Quoted:seriously what was she going to do? hockey stick him to death? They're Canadians

Why didn't they send some armed police there to back them up?

The folks I saw on the border north a Kalispell were armed and had body armor.  

Was this by any chance the french speaking part of Canada

Quoted: I recall being placed on guard duty, watching an unsecured arms room in the 82nd.  When I arrived, I asked where my weapon was.  The Sgt. of the Guard told me weapons weren't authorized.  I said, "o.k. - if someone shows up with a bb gun, they can have what they want."

They were behind you

Quoted: Why didn't they send some armed police there to back them up?

That would seem to be the reasonable solution.z

Quoted: Was this by any chance the french speaking part of Canada

they would have surrendered, not run away.

What a screwed up country.  Maybe the recent election of more conservative leaders will turn the place around.

Only good thing about  (abooooot?) Canada is Lebatt Blue beer!

This is not the first time canadian border guards have done this.

The border guards just wanted to save their Canadian bacon.

We weren't authorized weapons in the NOLA area for about the first 7
days I was down there.  We were gaurding generators for a Agri-corp.

I told the guys, if a banger showed up with a gun, that they were to help
the looters load the generators in their vehicles if necessary.

I remember showing up around 0100 and finding client personnel cowering in ther
admin building.

"Thank god!  You guys armed?" they asked.
"No."

"THEN WTF GOOD ARE YOU?!"

None, I had to admit.

I told my boss that I would be armed the next time I went to a hurricane or
disaster zone, and, if he didn't like it, then, they shouldn't call me.

Good luck to the Canadian Border People.  Hope they get guns, or faster
cars to facilitate bug-out.

Quoted: Why didn't they send some armed police there to back them up?

The goal of any Socialist/Communist country is to disarm everyone but a core of 'true believers'.  They are working at disarming the entire police force but this will take more time.  

Quoted: Why didn't they send some armed police there to back them up?

Did you not see the part where it says this occurred in Canada???

Deserting in the face of danger...

Maybe the Canadian Border Police can hire those fired New Orleans cops!

Give them Airsoft!

Quoted: The border guards near here are basically the equivalent of thruway toll booth workers. If anything happens they are supposed to call for the RCMP, which may or may not have a car in the area. People just driving through the booths as fast as they can from the US side without stopping is fairly common and they are frequently not caught.

I'll have to try that one.

Having been through that border station many times, this does not surprise me one bit.

Quoted: The folks I saw on the border north a Kalispell were armed and had body armor.

They werent Canadians.

I grew up real near that border crossing, goen through it many tiems on my way to MT or TX or wherever I was going....


the guards need sidearms, and more importabntly they need trainign on how to use them properly (if they are trained to the level of the RCMP they will be scary, and not in the good make Criminals cry kind of way)


If I were there I would have walked away as well. then again I turned down a Border guard job because it was an unarmed position "defending" Canada's borders...

New Conservative government gets sworn in tomorrow and has promised to arm and train border guards.

The defeated Liberal government was hoplophobic to the extreme, giving us universal registration and finally threatening a general handgun ban.

Conservatives believe that anyone of good charachter, and anyone doing a job that might put them in contact with bad guys should have a gun.

Quoted: Why didn't they send some armed police there to back them up?

Normally thats what would happen.

Quoted: They're unarmed, and it's specifically written into their contract that they can abandon post in a case of upcoming danger. I'm not shocked.

+1

Quoted: They're unarmed, and it's specifically written into their contract that they can abandon post in a case of upcoming danger. I'm not shocked.

What is the point of even having them?

Quoted: Quoted: They're unarmed, and it's specifically written into their contract that they can abandon post in a case of upcoming danger. I'm not shocked. What is the point of even having them?

Because they can say:

STOP! Or I'll.....I'll.....I'll be very upset!!!

Quoted: STOP! Or I'll.....I'll.....I'll be very upset!!!

Halt, eh! Or I will be forced to look down my nose at you, eh! Then I will speak to you in a gibberish language, eh!

I had no idea people in B.C. are considered FRENCH Canadian.

I think Harper is pro gun.

Stephen Harper’s Crime Plan a Facade January 05, 2006 Conservative Leader Stephen Harper claims he is serious about cracking down on crime – particularly gun crime – but his record paints a very different picture. Mr. Harper has worked to defeat every gun control measure the Liberal government has brought in and even those passed by the Mulroney government in 1991. How can he say he will support gun control now? He claims to be serious about increasing mandatory minimum sentences for gun crimes, but by precipitating an early election he derailed a government bill that would have doubled these penalties. And now he refuses to support the Canada Handgun Ban. Mr. Harper let his Firearms Critic, Garry Breitkreuz, accept an award in April 2005 from the World Forum on the Future Sport Shooting Activities, a group that is affiliated with the National Rifle Association (NRA). How are Canadians supposed to take Mr. Harper seriously on the issue of gun control when so many of his MPs have such strong ties to the NRA and the Canadian gun lobby? In fact, Mr. Harper himself recently told a Vancouver radio audience that he thought the gun lobby should have the status of a registered charity. Furthermore, Mr. Harper has yet to reveal the donors for his 2002 leadership campaign. Were the gun lobby and its leaders donors, and if so, how much did they contribute? Mr. Harper’s announcement also tried to scare Canadians into thinking that Canada has become unsafe: “The sad reality is that it's becoming a part of a growing pattern. Nation-wide, homicides are up. The number of gun murders in Toronto more than doubled in more than one year. We are seeing that gun crime has been rising in Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and other cities and communities all across Canada.” (Stephen Harper, Toronto Press Conference, January 5, 2006) But the facts do not support Mr. Harper’s assertion. While every incident of violence is one too many, crime statistics show that Canada’s communities are in fact becoming safer. Homicide rates in Canada’s major cities like Toronto and Vancouver are half those of major US cities like New York. And according to Statistics Canada, even after a year where violent crime rates hit record lows, violent crime in Canada is down in 2004 by 2 per cent continuing a general overall decline since 1993. In fact, except for 2003, crime has fallen every year since 1993 and is down by 12 per cent. The overall homicide rate has sharply declined over the last 30 years. Canada’s overall crime rate fell in 2004, by 1 per cent over the previous year. Robberies fell by 4 per cent, and robberies with a firearm are down 3 per cent. Property crime dropped by 3 per cent, youth crime is down by 4 per cent, and there was a 30 per cent decline in the youth homicide rate. Furthermore, violent crime involving young offenders is down by 2 per cent. The past 12 years of Liberal government has made Canadian communities safer, and our Canada Handgun Ban and Safer Communities Strategy will build on this progress.

Quoted: They're unarmed, and it's specifically written into their contract that they can abandon post in a case of upcoming danger. I'm not shocked.

French Canadians?

John

Well, the Canadian Border Guards are not allowed to arm themselves...it is a problem which they aren't happy about.

Its happened a few times around here, wher they walked off, or had a work slow down becuase of it. They figure (rightly I think) why should they have to worry about some armed fugitive capping them when their own gov won't let them carry to protect themselves...

Between the French and the liberals, Canada is a sad excuse for what it used to be.....

The Germans thought they were amongst the toughest, bravest foes the fought against, now a troop of gay cowboys with bb-guns could conquer the country....

I work unarmed security at the Knotts Berry Farm hallowwen Haunt and it is a hoot.  But like the boss says "we aren't paying you enough to get hurt for the park.  Hell they aren't paying us enough to get hurt."  "Use the radio and get the fuck out of the way."

WTF...have all agencies that are committed to stopping these people from doing something turned to pussies.  WTF.....those guys need guns...big ones, and lots of back up.  Shit.......they are canadians though, so I kind of do understand their philosiphy...where did they come from......oh yea.....France.

Quoted: The border guards just wanted to save their Canadian bacon.

Them Canucks are Tough, with a capital T, I'm telling ya!  They are going to invade the US & kick our asses.  They don't need no stinkin' guns!