– Acting Commissioner of Police David Ramnarine warns against unauthorised roadblocks

By Zena Henry

ACTING Police Commissioner David Ramnarine has reaffirmed the Guyana Police Force’s zero tolerance for ranks that set up roadblocks or randomly stop private vehicles without authorization.The acting Top Cop made the force’s position clear during a press conference Friday following numerous criticisms by members of the public.

He said that traffic ranks are permitted to stop vehicles on the roadways,only if an offence has been committed and the anti-crime patrol units are permitted to stop vehicles based only on information coming from police stations or the police operations room regarding a person or vehicle of interest.

“We have said that traffic ranks must be on the road for preventative prospects… we have said stop vehicles when offences are committed.” Other than that, Ramnarine continued, “refrain, cease to just willy-nilly stop people and detain them and have a long line of congestion.”

Ramnarine clarified that the anti-crime units (patrols) are on the roadways for that specific purpose and are not permitted to conduct the tasks of traffic ranks. He said for an anti-crime unit to stop a vehicle, they would have first needed to receive a call from operations or the station to respond to a report.

“…road blocks must be organized, it must be directed. The road block must be authorized, and that is to say they received information about the description of a car, or vehicle and its occupant.

“So then you have a set of information that leads you to look for a particular vehicle.”

Ramnarine said that even when an authorized road block is set up for crime-prevention purposes and there is a random search, vehicles are supposed to be pulled to the side of the road to allow for the free flow of traffic.

“So don’t stop every Tom, Dick and Harry who is driving on the road and have four, five lanes held up,” the anti-crime unit was told. “You have a set of information, so you have reason to stop a vehicle if it fits the description.”

Ramnarine warned ranks that they are not to have road blocks and get involved in what he described as “fleecing people,” demanding something of them if their documents are not in order.

“That’s disgusting, shameful and humiliating,” Ramnarine declared.

He believes that “ranks who do that (fleece drivers) don’t have any pride and dignity and that’s why we take the action to let them go easily.

“We can’t be saying one thing and they are doing something else.”

Ramnarine encouraged drivers to report illegal actions of police ranks who stop their vehicles and demand documents and searches without providing the relevant information that would permit their requests.

He said some persons are “soft and weak,” while others encourage delinquent ranks by paying them or making a complaint and not following through.

Ramnarine said that it is unfortunate that the force has to continuously speak on the particular matter after having regular discussions with ranks about their conduct while on duty on the roadways.

He said the matter is of deep concern to the force’s administration and preventative measures will continue, especially on the part of Divisional Commanders and the Traffic Chief.

Members of the public have complained bitterly about police ranks who stop drivers while pretending to be on the lookout for suspicious vehicles. They demand drivers’ documents, and in many cases demand payoffs if all is not in order.

Complaints have surfaced also of some ranks even confiscating drivers’ documents as collateral after a driver would have promised to return with a bribe.

Statements by the force earlier in the year said no rank is authorised to confiscate drivers’ documents, even when they have committed an offence and are asked to go to the police station.

Hostile police behaviour, and the fact that many traffic ranks hide themselves and vehicle in a bid to catch speeding drivers have also concerned the public.