Police

BY KEITH LACEY A Sudbury judge has ruled a man who has spent most of his adult life in jail doesn't meet the strict criteria to be declared a dangerous offender.

Frank Elsner, currently the Deputy Chief of Police with the Owen Sound Police Service, has been named as the successor to Deputy Chief James Cunningham, who is retiring from the force at the start of 2007.

As ice forms on local waterways and the snow appears to be here to stay, snowmobile enthusiasts are preparing for a lengthy season.

Greater Sudbury Police conducted spot checks throughout the city overnight, testing 441 drivers for sobriety. As a result, five people have received 12-hour drivers licence suspensions and had their vehicles towed.

No highways have been closed in the region, however the Ontario Provincial Police are responding to numerous collisions and vehicles stuck in ditches since 7 am. No injuries have been reported in relation to any of the collisions.

BY KEITH LACEY A former Sudbury high school gym teacher has been sentenced to nine months in jail after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old female student six years ago.

BY KEITH LACEY A Sudbury judge ruled Tuesday Greater Sudbury Police conducted an illegal detention and search of a British Columbia man charged with possessing six kilograms of opium, a drug used to manufacture heroin.

BY KEITH LACEY A middle-aged Sudbury man who has spent much of his adult life behind bars because he can't stop drinking or committing break and enters was sentenced to 30 months in a federal penitentiary Monday.

For the second week in a row, Greater Sudbury Police have given eight motorists 90 day licence suspensions for impaired driving.

Greater Sudbury Police are investigating a robbery that took place Wednesday Nov. 29 at Horizon High School in Val Caron.