Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Packing Heat In Canada


Armed border guards to staff risky crossings beginning next week

By DAVE DORMER
Canadian border security will be beefed up next week when some guards start carrying 9-mm Beretta handguns while on duty.
The first class of 39 officers graduated Friday from the Canadian Border Service Agency firearms training centres in Ottawa and Chilliwack, B.C. and will begin serving at crossings across the country tomorrow.
Exactly where the armed officers will be stationed won't be revealed for security reasons, said federal Public Safety department spokeswoman Melisa Leclerc.
"The schedule for arming borders is based on volumes and risk," she said.
"It will start with the busiest border crossings and those most at risk."
The next group of border guards is scheduled to begin the three-week firearms training program on Aug. 13.

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