Bad police practice
Published:Tuesday | January 5, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
The old, tired, worn-out practice of our police on major roads/highways pointing hand-held radars ('blow dryers') at suspected speeding motorists, sometimes at risk to themselves, has outlived its usefulness.
The deterring effects of this practice are no longer effective simply because cellphone calls and other motorists flashing their high beams would alert unsuspecting speeding motorists and criminals to the presence of the police up ahead.
From a safety point of view, it does not speak well of the police force to see that speed traps are usually manned with three or four officers with only one police service vehicle - no backup vehicle - motorised or otherwise. What happens if a speeding motorist does not stop?
Bad practice
Worse is the routine/acceptable norm of a policeman, drunk from the power vested in him and oblivious to the danger posed when he steps out into the road with raised arm signalling a speeding motorist to stop. Again, what if the motorist/criminal refuses to stop? This practice of the police stopping speeding motor vehicles should be discouraged/discontinued.
It is high time we have police cars (marked and unmarked) fitted with radars - and even video equipment - patrolling our streets and highways. Motorists will be more fearful of mobile radar-equipped police vehicles on patrol, and would be more compliant with the road-traffic laws.
I am, etc.,
AUTHNEL REID