May 31, 2011- 1:07 PM
“It surprised me actually,” he said. “We have lots of people quite adamant that we should be releasing the names. The vast majority of people are in favour of us doing that, and obviously there's some people...(who think) we shouldn't.”
Greater Sudbury Police recently announced that starting June 7, they will release the names of those charged with impaired driving offences during the previous week. The names will be sent to media outlets and posted on the Greater Sudbury Police website.
Elsner said the police service feels there is a need to make the names public.
“We do that for other offences such as a homicide, as an example, or missing people or serious sexual assaults,” he said. “Finally, after all of this time, we think impairing driving in this community has hit that threshold.”
When a criminal offense in Canada is laid, the name is public information, explained Elsner.
“People would normally have to go to the courthouse to find out what the individual's name was,” he said. “We're just releasing it ahead of time.”
If someone is charged with impaired driving, that doesn't necessarily mean they will be convicted of the crime, Elsner said.
Plea bargains may be made within the courts, where the accused could plea to one charge if other charges are withdrawn.
“If they have a good defence counsel who can raise enough doubt in the judge's mind, then they may be found not guilty,” he said. “Fortunately, impaired driving is often pretty cut and dry with the evidence before the judiciary.”
Elsner said it's not up for the police to “contemplate” what happens if someone is charged with impaired driving, only to have the charges against them dropped.
“Our position is that we release (names of) people who have been charged,” he said.
“What happens in the courts...that's up to the courts to decide...We think the carnage that's happening in our city streets outweighs that.”
At the end of March, Elsner told Northern Life police don't believe there are more impaired drivers on the road. He said he thinks more citizens are calling to report impaired drivers, leading to higher impaired driver statistics.
Elsner also said police are increasing the number of impaired driving patrols, resulting in more impaired driving charges being laid.
“Now we have to go after that segment of the population that is still drinking and driving that's not getting that message,” he said. “What we want people to do...is just not do it in the first place. If we are successful at that, then I think it's a good thing.”
Greater Sudbury Police media relations office Bert Lapalme said from Jan. 1 until May 31, 2011, 85 impaired driving charges had been laid. During the same time period last year, 70 impaired driving charges were laid.
Elsner said the decision to make suspected impaired drivers' names public is generating a lot of discussion, which he thinks is a good thing.
“In the last couple of days, all I've heard is people talking about this,” he said. “If nothing else...if we can get people talking and engaged in this conversation, I think that's healthy and positive for our community.”
