Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Search for "Prince Albert Saskatchewan" on YouTube and the eighth result will be "high at mall, prince albert Saskatchewan & tripp'n out!!! ..."
The same user has uploaded videos entitled "'Wanna Hit??'How To Meet People in Prince Albert Saskatchewan," "BAGHDAD STYLE (hitting up a joint)," and "BAGHDAD STYLE rolling up weed."
That last video shows several people rolling what appear to be marijuana joints, with the narrator saying: "This is for the RCMP, we got some drug-dealing going on here. There's a little bit of weed there going on. She's rolling some, there's some baggy there ..."
The availability of the videos, some of which show baggies - clear plastic bags often used to carry marijuana - and joints of green-looking material, has been fleeting. Sometimes viewers are greeted with "We're sorry, this video is no longer available."
But do local police see such videos or use the Internet as a tool for investigation?
"Absolutely," said Insp. Howard Georgeson of City Police.
"I've seen the YouTube stuff you're talking about, and yes we do see that, and yes they have been used in investigations in the past."
Georgeson couldn't comment on whether there are more incriminating videos or photos being uploaded to the web these days, or how many investigations have been sparked by photos or videos on the Internet, but he did say that the department is receiving more calls from citizens concerned by what they see on their computer screens.
"The two calls that I have personally received weren't followed up - they were distasteful, not criminal offences," said Georgeson.
"Intoxicated people doing stupid things within the privacy of their residences ... in Prince Albert."
Every offence has to be proven by police with real evidence, Georgeson pointed out.
The appearance on the web of something that looks like a gun or something that looks like a drug needs to be corroborated in real life.
But if police see a video on the Internet of someone driving around Prince Albert pointing a gun at people, they will investigate, Georgeson said.
"I think those out there who post on YouTube these obnoxious videos that basically involve some offences, should be made aware that it will probably end up in our hands in due time."
Georgeson said that officers don't have the time to be searching the Internet for evidence on every case they're working.
The Internet goes both ways, he added. Police have uploaded footage of suspects in unsolved crimes to their website to get help from the public in identifying them.
City Police are also in the process of launching the Internet Child Exploitation, or ICE, unit.
One officer from the department will work with a federal employee, likely from the RCMP, in using the Internet to track down would-be pedophiles and combat crimes on the Internet.
If this unit comes across Internet evidence of non-child pornography crimes being committed in Prince Albert, they will be able to turn that over to other officers for investigation, said Georgeson.
The ICE unit, based out of the police station, will start work in the fall.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Prince Albert Herald
Copyright: 2008 The Prince Albert Herald
Contact: editorial@paherald.sk.ca
Website: The Prince Albert Daily Herald: News | Caught on their own camera
The same user has uploaded videos entitled "'Wanna Hit??'How To Meet People in Prince Albert Saskatchewan," "BAGHDAD STYLE (hitting up a joint)," and "BAGHDAD STYLE rolling up weed."
That last video shows several people rolling what appear to be marijuana joints, with the narrator saying: "This is for the RCMP, we got some drug-dealing going on here. There's a little bit of weed there going on. She's rolling some, there's some baggy there ..."
The availability of the videos, some of which show baggies - clear plastic bags often used to carry marijuana - and joints of green-looking material, has been fleeting. Sometimes viewers are greeted with "We're sorry, this video is no longer available."
But do local police see such videos or use the Internet as a tool for investigation?
"Absolutely," said Insp. Howard Georgeson of City Police.
"I've seen the YouTube stuff you're talking about, and yes we do see that, and yes they have been used in investigations in the past."
Georgeson couldn't comment on whether there are more incriminating videos or photos being uploaded to the web these days, or how many investigations have been sparked by photos or videos on the Internet, but he did say that the department is receiving more calls from citizens concerned by what they see on their computer screens.
"The two calls that I have personally received weren't followed up - they were distasteful, not criminal offences," said Georgeson.
"Intoxicated people doing stupid things within the privacy of their residences ... in Prince Albert."
Every offence has to be proven by police with real evidence, Georgeson pointed out.
The appearance on the web of something that looks like a gun or something that looks like a drug needs to be corroborated in real life.
But if police see a video on the Internet of someone driving around Prince Albert pointing a gun at people, they will investigate, Georgeson said.
"I think those out there who post on YouTube these obnoxious videos that basically involve some offences, should be made aware that it will probably end up in our hands in due time."
Georgeson said that officers don't have the time to be searching the Internet for evidence on every case they're working.
The Internet goes both ways, he added. Police have uploaded footage of suspects in unsolved crimes to their website to get help from the public in identifying them.
City Police are also in the process of launching the Internet Child Exploitation, or ICE, unit.
One officer from the department will work with a federal employee, likely from the RCMP, in using the Internet to track down would-be pedophiles and combat crimes on the Internet.
If this unit comes across Internet evidence of non-child pornography crimes being committed in Prince Albert, they will be able to turn that over to other officers for investigation, said Georgeson.
The ICE unit, based out of the police station, will start work in the fall.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Prince Albert Herald
Copyright: 2008 The Prince Albert Herald
Contact: editorial@paherald.sk.ca
Website: The Prince Albert Daily Herald: News | Caught on their own camera
