Traffic cop shakedown at Grove, East Bank Demerara

Jul 15, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
At about 10:15pm on the night of Wednesday 12th July 2017 I was proceeding northwards on the Craig Public road in my car. Also in my car was my wife and two daughters, aged 8 and 5. In front of me was a Police car and behind the Police car was another vehicle. Both vehicles were travelling slowly.

According to my odometer in my car, the vehicles were being driven at about 38 kmh. I looked beyond the two vehicles and into my rear view mirror and was satisfied that the way was clear. I overtook the two vehicles. Almost immediately, the police vehicle put on its siren and I pulled into the corner.
A policeman, who refused to give me his name although I requested it several times, and whose name tag I could not see because he wore a luminous over-jacket, told me that I over took at a double line. I told him that there was no double line on the road.

He said I should still know of the double line. I told him further that I do not traverse the East Bank Road often and I would not know where double lines were supposed to be. The policeman told me to drive to the Grove Police Station. I told him that I wanted to take out pictures of the road and he said “Go ahead”.

I then took my wife’s cell phone and took out pictures of where the alleged double lines I overtook at were supposed to be. What was evident was that the road was recently re-surfaced and there was absolutely no line, single nor double.
The driver of the police car then called me over and told me that they would not bother with the overtaking matter but would charge me for dangerous driving. I asked him to explain to me how I drove dangerously.

He did not explain. I asked him for his name. He refused to give it to me. He instructed me to drive to the Grove Police Station. It dawned upon me that this was the typical “shakedown” which I have heard so much about. There was a third policeman in the police vehicle and he told me that they were going to put me on $10,000 bail.
By this time my daughters began crying and wanted to get home.

I contacted by phone an individual who I know was connected somehow to the Ministry of Social Protection. He spoke to the police driver who refused to give his name to my “contact”.
I then started to drive to the Grove Police Station, as instructed. The police vehicle drove behind me. Not knowing where the police station was, I drove past. The police vehicle “sirened” me again and the first policeman came and told me that I had driven past the police station.

I told him I had no idea where the station was because I was not from the area. The Constable then asked for my driver’s license, appeared to make a note in some small book and told me I would be summoned to court for dangerous driving.

He returned my driver’s License.
I reached home at 11.30 pm according to the clock and my family were and are still traumatised, particularly my two daughters. Viewed through the actions of these three policemen from the Grove Police Station, I think the motto of the Guyana Police Force may well be “Sting and Piratise” instead of “Serve and Protect”.

I asked that my name be withheld because of fear of police harassment. I have coped this letter to the following persons; His Excellency the President, Traffic Chief, Director of Public Prosecutions, Chancellor of the Judiciary, the Print Media, Mr Freddie Kissoon, CIOG, Guyana Islamic Trust and Diplomatic Missions
Frustrated Guyanese

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Traffic cop shakedown at Grove, East Bank Demerara

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