Days after (ag) Commissioner spoke to police recklessness…ranks topple bus

Jul 22, 2018 News

A bus belonging to the Guyana Police Force turned turtle Friday after hitting a taxi at the junction of Fourth and Light Streets in Alberttown, just days after Commissioner of Police (ag) David Ramnarine, spoke to the recklessness of some police ranks when using the Force’s vehicles.

The taxi and police vehicle that were involved in yesterday’s accident.

Witnesses claim the police vehicle was driving on Fourth Street heading in the westerly direction, at a fast rate of speed, while the taxi was on Light Street heading in the Southern direction.
The vehicles collided as the taxi attempted to cross Fourth Street. The witness said the police vehicle made an attempt to swerve from the taxi, but was unable to avoid a collision which resulted in the police vehicle flipping over, and coming to a halt some 50 feet from the corner in Light Street.
The Top Cop on Wednesday last had particularly stern words for ranks who were involved in reckless driving.
He noted that the traffic situation remains one of serious concern, “exacerbated not only by the careless, dangerous, reckless behaviour of civilian drivers…but by some of our very own who should know better, having received higher learning and training as law enforcement officials.”
“Our membership needs to quickly and constantly appreciate that the rules of the road are for all road users…”
He revealed that from July 2016 to June 2017, 18 members of the Force were involved in traffic accidents while driving Force vehicles, while 23 were involved from July 2017 to June 2018; a total of 41 ranks, seven subordinate officers, and 34 constables.
“Add this to another 18 ranks over that two-year period, being involved in accidents with their private vehicles. The occurrences cannot be ones that we can be satisfied with.”
On 18 occasions this year, where ranks driving Force vehicles were involved in accidents, the damage totaled $2,394,000.
“They have been made to pay for the cost of repairs. Ten have completed payments, while others have some more time to do so.”
With all that being said, it seems the Commissioner’s lecture had fallen on deaf ears. The rate of speed that this police vehicle would have had to be going to turn turtle after hitting the Crown taxi, must have exceeded the speed limits for streets in a residential neighbourhood like Alberttown.

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