Ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), particularly those attached to the Traffic Department have been instructed not to randomly stop road users and check their documents or make any arrest for “minor” offences.
Traffic Chief, Superintendent Ramesh Ashram made this announcement recently when he appeared on the ‘Police and You’ programme.
“Since my assumption as the traffic officer in August, 2020, my policy is clear and that of the force. Ranks are being instructed, traffic ranks, not to stop drivers and check for documents, not to arrest persons for minor offences,” Ashram said.
Instead, he said they are advised to take notes of names and addresses and proceed by way of summons.
In the case where the offence might be a ticketable one, Ashram said the police must issue a ticket.
Among the offences for which traffic tickets may be issued are speeding, failure to stop when required by police in uniform, driving a motor vehicle without a driver’s licence, failing to produce a driver’s licence, leaving a motor vehicle in a dangerous position, stopping within 30 feet from any corner, carrying more persons than the permitted number and riding a motorcycle without a safety helmet.
According to Ashram, ranks who are found in breach of the force’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be dealt with for disobeying “the lawful orders”.
“…The force administration would not deal with those matters lightly…. When we re-examine the matters and if we realize at that level, at the admin level, that the rank have to be removed from traffic so be it or removed from one location to a next,” he noted.
Ashram said that the force has a zero tolerance policy as it relates to bribery and corruption. As such, he is advising road users not to encourage any such activities.
“My first advice to road users is not to get in any activity that will engage bribery and corruption. You adhere to the rules of the road, do the right thing so you will not be caught in the act and would have….If any road user encounter problem with police who are trying to extract money from them as it relates to traffic offence that they have committed, the force policy is clear. That is a zero tolerance as it relates to bribery and corruption,” he declared.
The Traffic Chief is also appealing to members of the public not to be afraid to report ranks.
“I want to assure the public, I am appealing to the public don’t be afraid. When you have conflict with the police or you are in doubt or you believe that you are being wrongfully arrested …come forward,” Ashram stated.
In every policing division, he said reports can be made to the Commanders or the traffic officers in-charge. These officers, he said have an open door policy.
“You feel free, get the name of the police, come and report it to any of the senior officers of the force. It does not have to be that you have to come to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department), the traffic office in fact. You could go to the Commander, any office of your choice,” Ashram encouraged.
Once a report is made, he said the Office of Professional Responsibly (OPR) which is set up to investigate police officers will conduct an investigation.
To this end, Ashram said that the police have been experiencing difficulty where persons who lodge reports refuse to provide statements in the matters.
Once this happens, Ashram noted that the police will be unable to proceed with the investigation.
“…..At that stage, the police cannot proceed with an investigation as it relates to OPR,” he said.
