Nova Scotia restricts possession of "police items"

[JohnMarcson]

Changes to restrict access to police items and vehicles

Nova Scotia is changing who can access police items (like uniforms, badges, crests and hats) and vehicle markings and vehicle equipment.

novascotia.ca

https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/PDFs/annual%20statutes/2021%20Spring/c008.pdf

Looks like they consulted eBay for this one. It immediately contradicts itself and doesn't define or understand the items it regulates.

The FAQ mentions lights quite a bit, and contradicts the law too. The law mentions lights once; “police-vehicle marking means the marking, signage, decals and blue lightbar placed on a vehicle that identifies the vehicle as a marked police vehicle;"

From the FAQ​

Vehicles​

You can’t possess any police vehicle markings (like decals and blue light bar) and vehicle equipment from any police agency in Canada from any point in time. This includes light bars and police decals. Only those authorized by the Police Identity Management Act can possess these items.

They mention blue lights several times in the FAQ but no other colors, so does changing to red mean they are no longer police items?

Collectors​

You will no longer be permitted to buy or sell police items currently in use by a police agency in Canada. You will also no longer be permitted to possess police items currently in use by a police agency in Canada (so is it any equipment from any time or only current equipment?) unless you make them unserviceable. The law says "unserviceable means permanently altered such that ..... could not reasonably be confused with a police article or police uniform;" How do you make a lightbar "unserviceable"? Get red lenses? Hard mount it to a wall? The law seems to try to regulate use/mounting but goes after possession.

The FAQ is a mess, written by someone who didn't read the law by the looks of it. The actual law is more aimed at uniforms, badges, decals etc and mentions "blue lightbars" one time. I doubt this means a whole lot for anyone collecting lightbars, but it could impact people doing business in used bars that are current production. It is nice to see that the USA isn't the only country that laughably thinks people will surrender items that were perfectly legal last week and now aren't.

 

[ur20v]

I will offer to send all my AR pistol braces to Nova Scotia in trade for their police blue light bars.

 

[kitn1mcc]

more common sense laws

 

[kitn1mcc]

I oh that was sarcasm by the way

 

[stansdds]

I oh that was sarcasm by the way

Yeah, I got the sarcasm. Honestly, this new law sounds like a solution in search of a problem.

 

[JohnMarcson]

I oh that was sarcasm by the way

Yeah, the sarcasm came through the text loud and clear on this one.

I'm sure there was some rare incident that brought this about, but even if there was a police impersonator epidemic this law is not the answer. Trying to regulate inanimate objects rather than actions of humans is a pretty classic legislative failure.

What this actually means for light collection is debatable, but since the law mentions "blue lightbars" (once), then "currently in use" before disclaiming all of it with "unless made unserviceable"... I wouldn't be too worried. I probably wouldn't go bolting a blue modern LED bar to my decommissioned RCMP car, but my collection would otherwise remain uninterrupted.

In the United States there is a tradition of taking garbage unserviceable firearms to buy-back programs in order to receive cash to buy usable firearms. Maybe some of our Canadian friends can take their non-working Wolo lights to government buyback days and get enough money to buy a nice beacon ray.

 

[nhfirefighter]

Not debating the merits of the law, but for context I believe this incident is what started the law:

2020 Nova Scotia attacks - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[JohnMarcson]

Not debating the merits of the law, but for context I believe this incident is what started the law:

2020 Nova Scotia attacks - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Agreed, a likely culprit. Unfortunately there are too many impersonator issues in the US and Canada. I wish society could respond in a more meaningful way that addressed the perpetrators not the equipment in a sweeping way.

 

[Tango7]

But they #didsomething, and thus feel vindicated.

When my daughter was a baby and she #didsomething we held our nose and changed her. Politicians try and make political capital with it.

 

[stansdds]

But they #didsomething, and thus feel vindicated.

When my daughter was a baby and she #didsomething we held our nose and changed her. Politicians try and make political capital with it.

Yup. And I will add nothing more because it has now been said.

 

[Wailer]

I'm sure there was some rare incident that brought this about

Yes there was. A man impersonating an RCMP officer went on a murderous rampage and killed 22 people in Nova Scotia. He was driving a very good replica of an RCMP patrol car.

 

[Eric2.0]

I wish society could respond in a more meaningful way that addressed the perpetrators not the equipment.

Exactly.

If they come for my collection, they can kiss my a##

 

[JohnMarcson]

Yes there was. A man impersonating an RCMP officer went on a murderous rampage and killed 22 people in Nova Scotia. He was driving a very good replica of an RCMP patrol car.

Which means we absolutely have to limit law abiding citizens from having the items that he in any way used in committing these crimes because he would never have obtained them illegally; he seems like he cared about laws *sarcasm*.

Of course we need to make sure that the people writing the law have little to no understanding of the subject matter so the terminology can be incorrect, contradict itself, and render any possibly marginal benefit moot.

Another "look we did something about it" law. At least the US isn't the only country with this reactive and ineffective legislative response cycle. Meanwhile the average citizen is still paying a third of their income on their "hydro" bill because there is no time to look into that issue with a single police impersonator mainiac previously on the loose once.

If it makes anyone feel better the law seems to only cover blue lights currently in use by law enforcement in Canada, so I don't think it really even applies to most collectable lights. Badge collectors on the other hand may need to invest in resin to encase their "post ban" badges, and anyone with a uniform has to cut the legs off the pants to length that renders them clearly unofficial for the climate.