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WH1TY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1989, PAGE 5 A teenager is ehot to death by police in a Toronto euburb. He ie fleeing from police in a stolen car. A man with a long police record threatens arresting officere with a weapon. He je ehot dead. A man heare prowlers in hie own backyard. He inveetigates, taking a loaded weapon withMhm. He is shot to death by a epecial police tactical squad. A police officer it taking part in a etakeout on the outekcirts of an Ontario city. Media are being kept at bay; the suspects are armed and considered dangerous. Police communications break down, and one of the police officers diee ini a bail of bullete -- ehot dead by hie fellow officere., The firet two cases, since they happened.iii or near Metro Toronto, have received plenty of media attention. Both of the victime were black, and specialized groupe are using the incidents to accuse Metro police of being raciet. But in cases three and four, the proteste have been localized, weak, and reetricted te family, friends and a few neighbore. Ail four of these cases would indicate that police are under-trained or improperly trained. But because of the media attention te the racial aspect of the Toronto situation, wre now aeking aIl the wrong questions. Look at the evidence: parte of the black community proteet the conduct of police in the firet two shootings. Anyrsuch proteet --whether right or wrong -- indicates a rblem. So thi province definitely has a race problern. But police reacted with a mini-etrike, which in itself doses more te, threaten law and order. We now have a police problem. Wthenever two cultures meet, difficulties arise. The actions of one group may not conform te the expectations of the other. Innocent actions take on dire shadings. WITH OUR FEET UP by Bill Swan Ail the wrong questions Now drawing a knife or driving stelen car direclty at police officere, isn't innocent. But somewhere i the thread of things gone wrong, the black community -- or the protesting part of it, at least -- have indicated they would have expected any police officer te react differently than those involved did. For the charges te qualify as raciem, however, once would have to believe that the officers would have reacted diff'erently had the victime been white. But in both cases three and four, the victime were white. Neither was involved in a criminal act, both were resisting what they considered te ha unlawful One would expect that public outcryte ha loud, demanding, and universal. It has not been. This, I believe js due te the different expectations most Ontarians lvofplice. The fact is, we trust them. Even when a specially trained squad of 'killer' cops accidentally shoot two people. Oops there! Son-y about that. If a pit bull did that we would have him put tesIlep. Are there answersIl For the race problem, unfortunately, no. Regardlese of the actions te be taken now, significant portions of both white and black groupe will agitate for polarization. The resuit: a race ilot in Toronto before the turn of century. Police in Toronto will not be se sensitive to racial probleme that we cannot hope for consistent, fair policing. Officere, being human, will tend te, under or over-react te any situation involving minorities. The result will be many more probleme. I think we've blown thie one. And it need not have been, for the original problem wasn't racism: it was police training. These four cases alone would indicate that police are out of control. Perhape those involved in training police have been watching too much California-based television. Maybe they've been listening te too many American 'experts'. Suggestions? Every time any polioe officer discharges a weapon, a criminal offence should, be considered to have happened and charges laid. This would make neceesary an appearance in an open court. Officers would be paraded publicly, but they would also be exonerated publicly. Evey police office whoIdlîs another person i the lime of duty should be charged with a special crime: homicide in the line of duty. The trial must be open, fair, and swift. The race probleme we will neyer solve, although we can ease some of its tensions. But it is the police problem that threatens us far more. For when plice take action on their own, outeide the law, for whatever reason, watch out. It makes us one step away from being the banana republic of the north. And in a police state, it's everybody againet the police. Then we ail have a lot te worry about. Hydro 's year-end report made By Debbie Luchuk A -report on the 1988 year shows that the Whitby Hydro Electric Commission bought $20.6 million worth of power Theft at apartment Durham Regional Police are investigating the theft of two ghetto blasters, a watch, tool box and wrenches from a Kent St. a partment while the owner was sleeping. Police say the items were valued at $500. Earlier agendas, market assessment to be discussed Whitby council will ha dealing with two notices of motion put forward by two councillors Mýon- da ni lt. Newly elected Lynda Buffett will be askin g council to make agendas available at least one full working day in advance of a council or committee meeting. Council will dealing with the motion on Jan. 30. The second notice of motion was made by west ward council- lor Joe Bugelli who will ask council to request the Ministry of RePvenue to study the impact of miarket value assessment on Whitby. That motion will be dealt with Feb. 13. from Ontario Hydro iin 1988, staying within $10,00C of the budget. Total operating costs -for 1988 were within $175,179 of' budget. Operating costs inckicle ope- ration and maintenance cf trans- foi-mers, meter main tenance, employee relations, exTlployee benefits. The cost of administration (meter reading, billing and col- lecting, salaries, offlice operation) was over budget b y $33,0~ 00. The utility made more money than expected for 19ff8, with approximately $425,eJ00 in revenue more than predlicted in the.budget. Depreciation of ass-ts was mucli more than btzdgeted. approximately $15 rnilliin more than expected. However, current assets are $43,548,680. The.,year end statement is not a final ized report on tbe 1988 buduet. Wonian burned in explosion A Whitby woman was treated for first- and second-degree burns following an explosion at Pizza 4U last Friday. Durham Regional- Police say Debbie Brosens was checking a pizza oven when an explosion occurred. Brosens received hurns to her face and hands. She was taken to Whitby General H-ospital for treatment. 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