Police names send web users on political detour
Last Updated: Friday, December 9, 2005 | 6:04 PM ET
CBC News
"Oh boy, this is not good," Sgt. Kelly Dennison of the Winnipeg Police Service said after typing www.winnipegpolice.ca into his web browser and getting the NDP site.
"Anybody looking for the Winnipeg police service would think we're endorsing the NDP," he said. "Obviously, that's not the case."
The same thing happens if users type www.reginapolice.ca, www.saskatoonpolice.ca, www.edmontonpolice.ca, www.winnipegpolice.ca and www.windsorpolice.ca. All the traffic is directed to www.ndp.ca.
"I'm surprised and dismayed," said Elizabeth Popowich, spokesperson for the Regina police service, moments after seeing reginapolice.ca redirect to the NDP site.
"I'm sure there will be an inquiry," she added.
All of the police services in those cities have their own web addresses that are different – but bear similarities – to the ones redirecting to the NDP page.
The domain names for reginapolice.ca and the rest are registered to B.C. resident David Bedford.
According to NDP spokesman Ian Capstick, Bedford is an NDP supporter who's trying to help.
The party has asked him to provide a list of domain names that are redirecting traffic to the NDP page, but hasn't got a response back yet, he said.
Capstick added he doesn't think having web addresses with names similar to real police department addresses would cause serious problems.
In emergencies, anyone who needs to contact police would dial 911, not use the internet, he said. Furthermore, once people are redirected to the NDP page, they would know it's not the real police site and then could use a search engine to find the correct website.
Capstick said the NDP doesn't have any control over what sites people choose to direct traffic from.
"There's not much we can do," he said.
Asked if the NDP told Bedford to stop, Capstick said no.
"We don't have the power," he said.
Bedford, who runs a domain name business, told the CBC he has about 20 domain names pointed at the NDP site. He said he's voting NDP in the Jan. 23 election. After that, the web traffic will go to other sites.
"It's just my way of pitching in," he said.
