Latest update March 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 17, 2018 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon
I walk my dog every morning on the seawall going east beginning from the office of the DPP and the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). My car is parked on the seawall road nearby. One day four months ago, as I was entering my car I saw a number of policemen on the steps of the OPR.
With dog in hand, I went to speak to them. I met Superintendent Lawrence Kissoon, second in charge after Superintendent Mackenlall. I told Mr. Kissoon it is more than three years I have not had a response from the OPR over three reports I submitted at the request of the OPR. On two occasions, police ranks visited Kaieteur News to take the statement from me. On another occasion, I received an early morning telephone call from OPR reminding me.
I was delinquent on one request so the OPR telephoned the publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall. Mr. Lall in full view of his staff told me that I shouldn’t treat the police so lightly. I gave a third statement based on what I have seen over the years. The submissions relate to one particular type of situation – random stops by traffic cops.
The police force had issued statements over the years informing the nation that a traffic rank should not engage in random stops but must intercept vehicles on the basis of an illegal act that was seen to be committed. The police of course could stop a vehicle at any hour but it must be based on suspicion and that reason must be given to the driver.
Since I sent in those accounts, I have seen random halts literally countless times. I did a column promising that being so fedup with writing about it (I did six pieces over three years) I will no longer do so. I have stuck to my word. This column here is not about this routine interception thing. I am through writing about that.
Last week, I repeated the same action as six months ago – about to enter my car, saw ranks on the steps of OPR, with dog in hand, I went to speak to them. Again, Mackenlall was not there. Again, I met Mr. Kissoon (no relation). Mr. Kissoon took me to the secretary of Mackenlall. She said he was out of the office. Mr. Kissoon asked me to stay. I couldn’t. I told all the officers at OPR that it is going on to four years now; I am annoyed because it was OPR that requested my descriptions. I did not volunteer them.
Last week, Justice Donald Trotman pulled up his wagon on Sheriff Street outside the Botanic Gardens, and came out to enquire what trouble I was in. I was in conversation with two traffic ranks. I explained to Justice Trotman that I was just enquiring about a type of conduct I saw the two policemen were engaged in. How could they stop vehicles based on guessing the depth of the tint? They have to do so with the tint meter
Justice Trotman was relieved that I was not in trouble and went on his way with the words; “They have the tint meter at the station.’ I detect he was being cynical. One of the policemen said to me, “Look at that car coming; can’t you see the dark tint.” I retorted that it was unprofessional for the police to stop vehicles based on eye contact rather than use of a tint meter.
I explained the professional, scientific way to go is to outfit the traffic cops with the meters. How can anyone support eye judgement on the depth of tint on a vehicle? That is not the way to run a modern police force.
Ryan Crawford is in hot water for his scatological outburst to a traffic rank. We have to separate the two issues. Crawford’s unorthodox grammar cannot be condoned. He is wrong. The police rank is wrong to issue a random stop. I have seen the video. Both men are in error. I hope dishonesty does not prevail and we hear and read people accusing Crawford of doing this and doing that and should be arrested etc, etc. Crawford defended his right to privacy in an improper way.
Former Lieutenant Colonel and now security consultant at GWI, Frankie Bispham, was stopped at random on the Rupert Craig highway. Bispham politely told the cop that the policy of the Guyana Police Force is not to engage in random stops and he would like to know why he was pulled over. Sensing he knew Bispham knew his rights, he waved Bispham on his way.
Listen to the man that is throwing Guyanese bright future away
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