ACP Welsh and Stunt Driver - Glen Tucker

ACP Welsh has come in for much criticism for his handling of a matter concerning a motorist performing driving stunts on a public road. Among his detractors is a well known and highly regarded sociologist and priest. The Letter of the Day was also written by another sociologist.

In the news item which sparked this outrage, I saw a young man apologize profusely  - stating he was sorry and promising it would never happen again -. The ACP then stated the nature and seriousness of the act and warned that it would not be tolerated on our roads. He further stated that the errant driver would be assisting him in getting this message to the public. But we are not satisfied. And I know why. What all of this revealed is a deep seated resentment - with feelings of envy and inferiority - directed toward light skinned persons of privilege. What should ACP Welsh have done? punch him? imprison him? He has no authority to do either. What is all but ignored is that, in an operation led by him, over 130 'bad' drivers were stopped, given a similar stern warning, and released recently. But few seemed to be concerned.

Every minute of every day the public is put in peril by crazed taxi and bus drivers. There are schools where children still harbour deep scars from having to bury their classmates because of the antics of these drivers. More recently, Olympian and MP Juliet Cuthbert, remains traumatized by the antics of one of these road terrorists. Should ACP Welsh have come on board and just continued doing what does not work? These road terrorists get tickets - but they don't pay. They do not respond to summonses. Checks get the same response - "nobody with a taxi live here"

For generations, we have been using fear and cruelty in a desperate attempt to change behaviour. The result is that there is now more fear and more cruelty, nationwide, along with a diminished sense of police legitimacy. Without these obviously inappropriate tools, the force seems to be frozen in indecision.

During the 2008 - 2009 school year, Garfield High School (GHS) in Los Angeles had 683 suspensions. The school district decided to employ an alternative to this disciplinary strategy - teachable moments -. Detention, for example, was  seen as a time for reflection and discussion.

Through these efforts, GHS has established a number  of meaningful and positive policies to address school discipline. Quantifiable results testify to the strength of the policy change. During the 2011 - 2012 school year, GHS issued only one suspension, and the school's graduation rate increased from 62% to 71%.

What ACP Welsh conducted was a teachable moment. That is an event or experience which presents a good opportunity for learning something about a particular aspect of life. It is recognized worldwide, as a useful tool in changing behaviour. I am surprised at the lack of support he is enduring from his superiors and others who should know better.

Glenn Tucker