ACP Welsh never discussed traffic changes before announcement, commissioner asserts

Jason Cross, Gleaner Writer

Assistant Commissioner of Police Bishop Dr Gary Welsh may have been on his own when he announced changes to the road traffic system to have started on September 1.

Welsh announced the changes last week at the First Symposium on Traffic Crash Investigation and Black Box Analysis at the Caribbean Maritime University in Kingston.

"What he said at Maritime was not discussed previously,” Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson said this afternoon, responding to questions from The Gleaner.

IN PHOTO: Assistant Commissioner of Police Bishop Dr Gary Welsh, former head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch, speaking with Dennis Dietrih, a man who admitted to performing dangerous stunts on the road.

Welsh had said the police would be issuing summonses to road traffic offenders instead of tickets.

“We are going to set up customer service centres for people who run afoul the Road Traffic Act. You will not be pulled over on the highways and narrow corridors. Since the number of tickets seems to be mounting, we are going to be using summonses. This removes the option of just paying a fine. If someone is arrested on a bench warrant, we will take you to court when it is convenient," he said.

Shortly after Welsh’s pronouncement, the police high command issued a statement saying no change had been made to the system for prosecuting motorists.

The assistant commissioner was also subsequently, stripped of the responsibility as head of the public safety and traffic enforcement branch.

Welsh has been replaced by ACP Dr Kevin Blake.   

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