ACP Chester Williams on Discusses Intervention with At-Risk Children

Chester Williams

According to ACP Chester Williams, some of the participants are already playing a role in gang activities. Last week, he had an intervention with parents and the reality is damning.

ACP Chester Williams, Regional Commander, Eastern Division South

“In the intervention that I had last week with some of the young people. And I will tell you, they are between ages twelve and sixteen basically and it was a frightening experience to know what these kids were going through within their neighborhoods. Imagine a twelve year old cannot go in a certain area because he is afraid of another twelve year old. Can you image that? Yes, so this program will help to some extent, but it also must have that other component of the parents. The parents must learn to take command and control and I will tell you in the session I had last week and when I asked the parent to address the kids. You know what the parent said? The parent said they don’t have nothing to say cause it won’t help. So it just goes to say that they themselves have given up on their own children. Now I had to like basically reprimand them because how can you as a parent say that that twelve year old who is your children, you cannot control him. You must understand that in a home, there are parents and children and each person must play their role and if the parent allows the child to play the role of the parent then most naturally, the parent will not be able to control. So we are imploring upon parents to take responsibility for their children. And the minute you cannot find them, seek them out and get them home. And I have said to the parents—it might sound harsh, but I have said to them—that if any of these kids are found on the street during the day or at night in any gang ridden area engaging with any gang activities, we are going to take the child into our care; we are going to get the parent, charge the parents and take them to court. We are going to make an example of some of the parents so that they can understand that it is time for them to take responsibility for their children.”

According to ACP Williams, under the Summary Jurisdiction Procedures Act, it is an offense for a parent to allow their child to wonder or loiter in any public place or to gather arms. And then there is the Curfew Act where a parent is also liable if a child is found on the street between eight p.m. and six a.m.