I spent most of my policing career as a traffic cop.
Yes, I have an outlook that many in the public don't share, but they haven't spent 25 years investigating collisions and seeing the aftermath either.
Thank goodness for that, but maybe our politicians need a bit of experience similar to my own to temper their viewpoints.
A news item in The Tyee has me shaking my head.
Mike Morris is a Liberal candidate for Prince George-Mackenzie and an ex-RCMP officer.
He says that photo radar was an effective tool and that we should use technology where appropriate to free up police resources for jobs that technology cannot do today. As you might expect, I agree with him completely.
Not so our four party leaders.
Two immediately responded about it being a cash grab. One suggested using a greater police presence and the second used the opportunity to point the finger at one of the others.
My first thought is that they are out of touch and on reconsideration I expect that they are not going to dose us with the medicine that we do need at a time where they are looking to the public for employment.
Agree with me or not, speed is a major component in many motor vehicle collisions. The consequences of collisions are severe and affect us all in many ways that we don't stop to consider.
Our politicians must stop to consider and should not be making ill-considered remarks like those reported in the story.
For more information on this topic, visit www.drivesmartbc.ca. Questions or comments are welcome by e-mail to comments@drivesmartbc.ca. Tim Schewe is a retired RCMP constable with many years of traffic law enforcement experience. His column appears Thursdays.