HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1976-12-01, Page 2Sm4, fence
Amen
by Kari Schuessler
The chief has squeaky shoe
Police Chief Stewart Stark wears squeaky
shoes.
I heard them while he walked his beat one
afternoon through Mitchell. At the time I
wondered if I should run up and give him a
can of oil. Because how could he sneak up on a
culprit with old squeaking shoes
approaching?
But all this was six months ago. By now
Chief Stark has worked the squawking out of
his walking--out of those new shoes of
his--those big size 15's. yes, that's what I
said, size 15.
Stark needs big feet--to carry all of his 6ft 4
inches and his 235 pounds. And he has more
than enough maturity to match his greying
hair on top.
But there's another reason for those big
feet. He has big shoes to, fill—keeping the
peace in his town of 2500. And now, with two
of his constables recently resigned, the job's
even bigger. But it's better with the OPP
h:elping out until he gets replacement.
Stuart Stark is used to policing a town
almost single handedly. For seven years he
was the one man police force in a northeren
Ontario town of Thessaloti. And the town was
not without justice.T'hanks once again to the
O.P.P. and a certain judge, That one judge
acted as judge, crown attorney and defence
lawyer --all rolled up into one.
"I dare say more good common justice was
handed out by that judge than in many a city
court," says Stark.
Cheif Stark grew up on a farm. He was
. raised on basic and simple honesties.
"Let's face it," he says, "our whole North.
A merican system is set up on a reward and
plinightnent principle., If I do a good job, I'm
rewarded with a steady job and decent
paycheck."
He thinks it should be this way with criminal
justice. "We should call a spade a spade.
Treat that small hard core element of
criminals for what they '
4ie you reward their Cruelty 'With kindess,
then what do you reward kindness with?" he
asks.
A few years back he SayS the experts theugh
you could rehabilitate everybody. You could
reform everyOne who Went to jail. "But", he
says, "it just hasn't worked out that way,
Today the prison system neither punishes nor
reforms."
Now, don't get. Cheif Stark Wrong. He's not
a cruel, vindictive Man. It's just that he's
concerned with the good peOple.
He knows he's no itieSSiah—out ready to
save the world. But he wishes more p
would think about the rights of the
people--the rights of the victim, instead (
criminals.
"I'm getting sort of tired," he says
people taking about their. rights. I
somebody would start talking about
responsibilities."
Maybe police work wouldn't be
frustrating. For it's so easy for s
policemen to feel they're that thin red line
separates the good people from
barbarians.
Stewart Stark wants to police in a s
town. "It helps so much to know the pee
you're dealing with."
And when you're in a small town, his aro
the law touches everyone he know!
neighbour, friend, yes, even his own sor
"Sure," he says, "It hurt when I ha(
charge my own son, but I don't want rnp
my wife; or my family to think we're above
law."
In all of his sixteen years of police vo
Chief Stark has never pulled a gun on anyc
He's never shot at anyone.
"I think our biggest problem by far is
alcohol. It's the biggek curSe in our soci
And once you mix- this alcohol with a car,
have all kinds of problems.
"A motor vehicle seems to bring the bi
out of a human being."
In his Mitchell area alone, the comma
averages about a half a dozen—mostly yo
people,-killed on the highways each year
Stark feels our society has made heroes
of the bad guys. If someone breaks the
and doesn't get caught he's a hero. Same
with someone who outwits the police or col
home from jail—heroes all,
But Stark is some what of a hero hens
Absorbing all the small town talk and gos
handing out justice among the very pct
who employ him; practicing good comr
Sense and using his own best judgeni
Whether to lock the drunk up or chauffeur ]
home in the police cruiser, He's ready to
Many people the benefit of the doubt, fi
ready to talk, convince, coax
"peacify ii whenever he can. And if he has
he can give out a Stark specialty—kneeing
guy in the rear to make him tome ato'
But what really convinces Ind about Cl
Stark, are those squeak y size 15's. If
Man Will let his shoes warn you he's eon'
up on you, then he's Probably one of the b
things that could happen to any small tor
LITAIWINP I Pr;
Brussels Pos
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1', 1976
paussg‘s
ONTARIO
Serving Brussels and the surrounding community.
Published each Wednesday afternoon at Brussels, Ontario
by McLean Bros. Publishers, Limited.
Evelyn Kennedy - Editor Dave Robb • Advertising
Member Canadian Community Newspaper Association and
Ontario Weekly Newspaper Association
Subscriptions (in advance) Canada $6.00 a year. Others
$8.00 a year, Single Copies 15 cents each.
How much do you
want to know
The issues are as different as the people who are
running in the elections in area municipalities which
will take place on Monday.
Recreation is a hot one in many places, with
repairs to old arenas or the building ,of new ones
underway, Some taxpayers want more spending on
recreation by their councils; some want less. Some
people just want a clear accounting of just what their
town or township is spending now on recreation, and
why.
In Seaforth council squabbles have
created quite a bit of interest. In other areas, the
personalities involved seem to be— about the only
issue in fights for council seats, deputy reeve and
reeveships.
School board spending and more trustee and
parent control over education seems to be an issue in
the school board elections in our area.
But there is one overriding issue that tends to get
lost in the shuffle which should be of major
importance in all the elections on Monday.
And that is, how do the various candidates feel
about doing business in public? There's an
unfortunate trend in many local governments and
school boards toward private meetings, of
committees or committees of the whole, to which
reporters aren't invited and therefore, of which, the
public gets no news.
We don't know why, but there is a marked
difference among politicians on their attitudes to
doing public business in public. Perhaps it's g
personality difference. . .some are just naturally
more secretive than others.
Perhaps some see reporters as trouble makers,
hell bent on getting quotes wrong and looking for a
splashy headline that'll make the* villain of the
moment look bad.
Other people who run for political office may feel
that they know best what the public wants and that
the public can find out about decisions after they are
made. They just don't see the need for input and
public discussion at earlier stages, while decisions
are being made, and can still be changed.
Think about whether or not your, favoured
candidates hold the above views or not. If you aren't
sure, ask him or her.
How the candidates for office feel about holding
most of their meetings in public, with full
opportunity for press coverage and input from
taxpayers will determine how much you'll be able to
find out over the next two years about how local
councils and school boards are conducting your
business.
This newspaper, which takes its responsibility to
keep the public informed seriously, hopes you take
the issue of keeping public business open and above
board seriously too,