Below is an excerpt from the original article written by Stefan Labbe for The Times Colonist on October 25, 2022.
An environmental group says it has gathered evidence the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) is quietly being armed with “military-grade” assault rifles.
In an open letter to the Office of the Premier and premier-designate David Eby, Pacific Wild says it appears both civilian contractors and BCCOS officers are being issued .308 semi-automatic rifles with detachable high-capacity magazines.
“They got money for a patrol rifle and turned around and bought an assault rifle,” said Bryce Casavant, director of conservation intelligence for the group.
Or as the Pacific Wild letter puts it: “The deployment and use of these weapons sends a cumulative war-like provincial message to the public, a hardened stance that is militaristic in appearance and operational practice.”
