ARE STUPIDER, LESS POPULAR POLICE AT GREATER RISK OF LEGAL CONSEQUENCES?

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this story titled "Police need training in de-escalation, ombudsman says". The majority of police training focuses on exerting authority and establishing control over hostile individuals. Hmm. O.K. if they are armed or actually assaulting someone then I can see that approach. If however they are merely angry or agitated what a wonderful way to escalate the problem.

There "have been hundreds of recommendations from coroner's juries for years for better police training to deal with dangerous interactions, and the government needs to "review the human costs of their legacy of inaction to finally make this issue a priority"...". So said Paul Dube, Ontario Ombudsman.

It seems to me that there is a certain amount of taking responsibility away from individual officers who unecessarily kill either unstable or agitated citizens. Certainly telling officers to feel free to shoot suspects simply because they are carrying, but not using a weapon and or simply because they refuse to comply with verbal commands from officers has muddied the waters. Sammy Yatin ignored Officer Forcillo's orders but was not threatening any bystanders or citizens. In fact he was on a streetcar by himself simply walking back and forth when the officer opened fire and shot him numerous times including after he had collapsed.

Maybe better training might have convinced Officer Forcillo to behave in a more human fashion. Or maybe not.

PROVINCIAL POLITICS

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this Opinion article titled "Parents of children with autism will not be pushed around again", written by Luisa D'Amato. While the basic story is as the title indicates in regards to the Province of Ontario government coming to their senses and continuing support and aid to children with autism past the age of five, I am somewhat more interested in a single sentence in the story on another topic. Prior to that however I do have a comment regarding autism. Similar to the epidemic of children with allergies over the last several decades, autism has been attributed by some as a human side effect of various chemicals that have become ubiquitous in the environment. Obviously I am referring to industrial contaminants that our various levels of government have expressed concern over and then done mot much more about them. It seems more than just a tad hypocritical for governments to turn a blind eye to pollution, both minor and severe, and as well attempt to turn a blind eye to their responsibility to the victims of same.

The single sentence in Luisa D'Amato's Opinion article that caught my eye is the following: "A plan to change the rules of election financing, which had been rife with conflicts of interest, was another.". Wow' Is Luisa referring to Bill 201 which is currently at the Committee Stage and in fact hearings are scheduled for the third week of July in Kitchener-Waterloo? Whether she's referring to the Municipal Election or even the Provincial one, her comment is astounding. Indeed here in Woolwich Township the entire process is inherently corrupted as it is riddled with multiple conflicts of interest. Whether the province have really any interest in correcting those failings I find unlikely. Nevertheless we will both follow the process and participate in it where we can.

TEACHER HIRING PROCESS IS PROBLEMATIC

Today's Waterloo Region Record carrys this Letter to the Editor titled "Ontario must do more to boost number of male teachers". Well gender parity is indeed a large part of theis Letter nevertheless what caught my eye was the claim that the hiring of teachers is rife with nepotism. Well, well, well. Is it difficult to believe that with the disgrace of education in this province that that would not also include cheating in hiring. Oops nepotism is such a nicer sounding word. I've long known that lawyers and doctors children have a greater chance of becoming lawyers and doctors than others and indeed I've noticed a few teachers who's children al;so become teachers. Possibly in my naivite I thought that was simply the result of teachers kids seeing the great money, holidays and benefits so they knew early on where they wanted to work.

According to the author of this Letter to the Editor, Dennis D'Alessandro, it's much more blatant than that. "For many decades I have observed that the sons and daughters of directors, board members, superintendents, principal, vice-principals, consultants, trustees and department heads have a decided advantage if they choose to become a teacher." Wow! That's not exactly a subtle comment. Well if the School Board and entire Education System were honest and above board in all other matters I would be skeptical. As they aren't I find this Letter unfortunately to be credible.

STUPID, STUPID POLICE IN BALTIMORE - JUDGE AS WELL

The June 24, 2016 Waterloo Region Record carryied another article on the Freddy Gray murder in Baltimore, Maryland. Oops it's not a murder according to police and a judge so far. One of the titles for this article was "Another officer acquitted in Freddie Gray case". In this case it was the police driver of the van who was acquitted of multiple charges including murder by a judge alone.

Freddie Gray was a 25 year old black man in good health when he was arrested , handcuffed and his feet shackled before being put into the back of a police van. Proper seating and a seat belt were mysteriously not provided to Mr. Gray who was then given a 45 minute "ride" in the back of the van. Apparently this kind of "ride" was not unique as there have been past complaints of intentional attempts to injure arrested and improperly restrained citizens. In Mr. Gray's case he died of a broken neck sustained in police custody. To date three trials of officers followed by three acquittals. And police and political authorities don't understand why they are held in such utter contempt.

WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE - HERE WE GO AGAIN

What the hell, yet another local police officer facing criminal charges. This is so far beyond ridiculous and beginning to seem neverending. I'd almost like to see what the statistics actually are for police officers, say in Ontario, who are sworn to uphold the law, actually being charged and convicted of breaking it. I have a suspicion that the charges per capita by employment (police officer) are higher than average whereas the convictions might actually be lower than average. I mean lets be real here. We all want to know that police officers as a group have significantly less tendency to be law breakers than the general population which by the way is very low.

This article titled "Officer charged with sex assault while at college" was published in the Waterloo Region Record on June 16, 2016 and was written by Liz Monteiro. The officer involved will be appearing in a St. Thomas court next month facing a sexual assault charge.

Many years ago I read a book titled either "Clowns with guns" or "Clowns in uniform". It was I believe a slightly fictionalized account of Toronto Police officers from the 1960s and 70s. The biggest thing I came away from that book was the unaccountability of police officers allowing them to behave in an outrageous fashion while off duty. The book characterized excessive drinking, womanizing and even drug use. All supposedly by those sworn to uphold the law and protect citizens from others who's behaviour was a danger to the public peace.

You know hindsight being twenty-twenty I wonder if the harsh discipline handed out including dismissal for several officers a few years back who misbehaved badly with their Blackberry Messaging Service really wasn't way out of line. Yes while rudeness and disrespect for clients, citizens and those in difficulty should not be tolerated by police officers; dismissal however for a first, immature offence seemed at the time excessive. In hindsight it seems even more excessive.

CINDY WATSON SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF THE SCHOOL BOARD !

I may very well be in shock. In fact Cindy Watson in her Letter To The Editor today addresses that. She states that she has not drunk the kool-aid nor made a deal or been bribed. She knows how shocking her curent evaluation of the culture at Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) is to those of us who have paid attention over the years if not the decades. Ms. Watson has not only been my favourite current trustee for a very long time but is amongst a small, select group of trustees that I would deem as moral, ethical and honest. Interestingly two or three more were also Cambridge trustees.

According to Ms. Watson this curent board has accomplished much in the last two years. She states that the culture is changing and for the better. Finally twice she states that the majority of trustees are working hard with staff and being cooperative as well as also working hard to create a respectful culture that encourages diversity of opinion.

Ms. Watson suggests that it is not only the trustees who are improving but also the senior administration. Hallelujah to that! Senior Board Staff were the problem twenty years ago and I'd love to know when certain names retired and got the hell out of their little fiefdoms. It makes me believe that it's not the institutions, it's the amoral individuals who pervert them for their own self-interest.

I am happy for Cindy Watson to finally be soaring with eagles rather than working with turkeys. I am curious however as to the negative comments from certain trustees that have been quoted lately in the Record. Are those trustees the old guard? Are they the minority versus the majority that Ms. Watson is talking about? While undiplomatic, names would have been helpful. Also I'm still concerned about the recent survey filled out by seven of the nine trustees expressing serious concerns with the Board's ability to work together. Somebody is still gilding the lily a little bit here.

LUISA D'AMATO SMACKS DOWN BOTH LOCAL SCHOOLBOARDS

Actually there were two items in today's Waterloo Region Record concerning our two School Boards here in Waterloo Region. Stephen Woodworth, former M.P., wrote via a Letter To The Editor an impassioned plea on behalf of Trustees suggesting that they are still desperately needed to encourage democracy versus authoritarian governments as well as to encourage education rather than political indoctrination. I haven't yet figured if he's a little over the top, on to something, or simply an admirer of the failed status quo.

Luisa D'Amato's article is titled "They're ineffective and petty. Do we really need school board trustees?". Obviosly she's much less impressed with them than Mr. Woodsworth. Louisa refers to recent disrespectful behaviour by the Catholic School Board towards elected trustees. She references not only recent issues of trustees infighting at the public board (WRDSB) but also an incident on Monday of this week. One of the Trustees asked the question as to which Staff was Trustee Andrea Mitchell referring to when she publicly said that some top Board staff were fleeing to other Boards to get away from Trustee acrimony. At that point two other Trustees got up and walked out. At that point the meeting was adjourned due to low attendance (quorum?).

Silly me twenty-five or six years I naively assumed that there were no political, social or other concerns regarding educating our children. I thought that everything was black and white and that everybody would be on the same page. Afterall education is a Mom and apple pie sort of issue isn't it? Who could possibly be agaginst it? Well personal experience dealing with shcool boards, teacher's unions and assorted riff raff disguised as professional bureaucrats, lawyers and educaters has opened my eyes.