The Police Traffic Division is reporting success in the use of covert operations to reduce road traffic violations. This comes after over 1073 tickets were issued across three key parishes for various driving offences since the strategy was implemented over a month ago.
The operations have been successful particularly in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine, netting traffic tickets for driving offences including improper overtaking, exceeding the speed limit, and sometimes when motorists are stopped there are accompanying charges, such as defective vehicles or failure to wear seatbelts. Since the start of the year, a total of 388,811 tickets have been issued on the island’s roads.
“Covert operations target certain areas where indiscipline and bad driving are rampant. We have done a number of operations and you never know where we might be next. Motorists found in breach will be dealt with,” warned Acting SSP Courtney Coubrie, Head of the Police Traffic Division. “There are intersections where some motorists drive into filter areas where they should have turned right, but instead cut across other motorists in order to continue straight, thus forcing them to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. There are others who make their way into the intersection itself, away from the stop line; that too is an offense that carries demerit points similar disobeying the red light. We will be vigilant in detecting and persecuting as such,” he said.
The covert operations are done with police officers using unmarked vehicles, with a marked vehicle in close proximity to assist in apprehending offenders where necessary. “We frequent areas where there is a high level of indiscipline and lawlessness. In the past what usually happens is that the marked vehicle is easily seen from a distance as we are normally on long stretches of roads. If the officers tried to respond to those who commit a violation, on seeing the marked vehicles, motorists tend to divert in an attempt to evade the police,” explained DSP Errol Adams, Operations Officer, Police Traffic Division.
Another challenge is that on the highways, once a marked vehicle is in position to do speed checks, if a motorist realizes, there is the usual communication with the flashing of the headlights. However, in a covert operation, because the vehicle is unmarked, the police are able to detect numerous breaches before persons are aware of their presence.
Dr. Lucien Jones, Vice Chairman/Convenor of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) commended the police on the effective use of this strategy. “The covert operation is either done employing static techniques or while navigating traffic so the officers can see offenders, go close, and initiate the process for police in a marked vehicle to apprehend the offender.” he said. “The issue of road crashes is often linked to indiscipline, speeding, dangerous driving and defective vehicles, so when someone commits an offense and you assist them in evading the police by flashing your light; that only poses more challenges for your safety, and the safety of others on the road.”
He added, “The NRSC is working closely with the police to support and encourage them as they monitor some of these troubled spots to reduce any incidents. However, we all have a role to play, and I am urging all Jamaicans to be vigilant and live up to this responsibility.”
The Police Traffic Division is reporting success in the use of covert operations to reduce road traffic violations. This comes after over 1073 tickets were issued across three key parishes for various driving offences since the strategy was implemented over a month ago.
The operations have been successful particularly in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine, netting traffic tickets for driving offences including improper overtaking, exceeding the speed limit, and sometimes when motorists are stopped there are accompanying charges, such as defective vehicles or failure to wear seatbelts. Since the start of the year, a total of 388,811 tickets have been issued on the island’s roads.
“Covert operations target certain areas where indiscipline and bad driving are rampant. We have done a number of operations and you never know where we might be next. Motorists found in breach will be dealt with,” warned Acting SSP Courtney Coubrie, Head of the Police Traffic Division. “There are intersections where some motorists drive into filter areas where they should have turned right, but instead cut across other motorists in order to continue straight, thus forcing them to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. There are others who make their way into the intersection itself, away from the stop line; that too is an offense that carries demerit points similar disobeying the red light. We will be vigilant in detecting and persecuting as such,” he said.
The covert operations are done with police officers using unmarked vehicles, with a marked vehicle in close proximity to assist in apprehending offenders where necessary. “We frequent areas where there is a high level of indiscipline and lawlessness. In the past what usually happens is that the marked vehicle is easily seen from a distance as we are normally on long stretches of roads. If the officers tried to respond to those who commit a violation, on seeing the marked vehicles, motorists tend to divert in an attempt to evade the police,” explained DSP Errol Adams, Operations Officer, Police Traffic Division.
Another challenge is that on the highways, once a marked vehicle is in position to do speed checks, if a motorist realizes, there is the usual communication with the flashing of the headlights. However, in a covert operation, because the vehicle is unmarked, the police are able to detect numerous breaches before persons are aware of their presence.
Dr. Lucien Jones, Vice Chairman/Convenor of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) commended the police on the effective use of this strategy. “The covert operation is either done employing static techniques or while navigating traffic so the officers can see offenders, go close, and initiate the process for police in a marked vehicle to apprehend the offender.” he said. “The issue of road crashes is often linked to indiscipline, speeding, dangerous driving and defective vehicles, so when someone commits an offense and you assist them in evading the police by flashing your light; that only poses more challenges for your safety, and the safety of others on the road.”
He added, “The NRSC is working closely with the police to support and encourage them as they monitor some of these troubled spots to reduce any incidents. However, we all have a role to play, and I am urging all Jamaicans to be vigilant and live up to this responsibility.”