The Editor,
Re: “Hiring cop who drove impaired sends wrong signal, Surrey mom of drunk driving victim says,” the Now-Leader online.
I am a retired school principal living in Cloverdale. I find it astounding, in fact unbelievable, that a person who got a 90-day driving prohibition for being impaired behind the wheel, in the name of Jeff Metcalfe, could be appointed as an inspector with the Surrey Police Service.
SEE ALSO: Hiring cop who drove impaired sends wrong signal, Surrey mom of drunk driving victim says
The most poignant and sad event I had in my whole career in education was conducting a community funeral in my school gymnasium in about 1988 or ’89 for four members of one family – mother, father, sister, and brother – who were killed by a drunk driver at a four-way stop at 40th Avenue and 184th Street.
A young driver, who was later charged with drunk driving, had blasted through the four-way stop. He left one of my students an orphan.
ZYTARUK: The Surrey Police Service really needs to get its act together
This was a traumatic event that caused all of our staff members to join MADD. It was the most difficult event I’ve ever conducted. Now, to see a person fresh off a 90-day driving suspension be appointed to the Surrey police force makes a total mockery, causes notions of credibility of those in charge, and is astonishing, to say the least.
It causes many to lose confidence in the City of Surrey, the Surrey Police Board and the transition to a new police force.
You cannot – let me repeat – you cannot – appoint an officer with a DUI to any police force and expect that police force to have any credibility. Need I say more?
Gary Walker, Surrey
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