Breathalyzers and Speed Guns to Combat RTAs, says ComPol

Chester Williams

Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, also weighed in on the frequency of road traffic accidents that have led to multiple deaths. He says that his senior command has met to discuss the issue. They are now proposing a joint Cabinet paper, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, to make certain legislative amendments that will give way to the greater use of speed guns and breathalyzers. ComPol Williams told us more.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We certainly have met, myself and my senior command to discuss this same issue. We do recognize we are losing a number of persons to traffic incidents on our highways. Myself and minister Ferguson also discussed the matter and we had put in place an operation between the Department of Transport and the police, even all the way up to ten p.m. at night to see how best we can maintain some presence on the highway. But I think that we have reached the point where we need to see how we can come up with a joint cabinet paper, and I have already asked Mr. Grinage to coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and I am trying to see if I can have a meeting on Thursday, and I am going to propose to them for us to be able to do a joint cabinet paper, to amend the law as it relates to the use of speed guns. I think the way how the law is currently structured; it calls for one specific type of speed gun which is no longer in commission. So it needs to be changed to include other types of speed guns. We want to amend the law for the greater use of breathalyzers so that the printed receipts from the breathalyzer equipment can me accepted in court as prema facie evidence against persons charged with the offense of being under the influence while driving.”