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Columns
An arrest warrant may be out for you - even if you have paid your traffic ticket!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
BY LISSIE BARNES
HAVE you received a traffic ticket within the last five or six years? If youhave, the following account is a must-read. I believe it is my duty to share with members of the public - who, like me, are possibly in ignorance - my experience of December 7 with the police from the Traffic Division.
I know they say that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but...
I was pulled over for exceeding the speed limit of 50km per hour on the Sir Florizel Glasspole Boulevard, Kingston. The first officer I encountered came with his radar gun indicating I was doing 76km per hour. I am on record as having said, "I beg to differ," and that I would be going to court to pay this fine, even though I did not believe I had exceeded the speed limit.
Be that as it may, my word was powerless against the irrefutable proof that was presented to me by an officer of the law. He then requested documents for my car which were all in order.
Then he requested my driver's licence which he took to his squad vehicle. In my rear-view mirror, I saw him writing up the ticket. He returned with same and informed me that there was a warrant for my arrest.
Naturally, I thought he was joking. I expected someone to come out and say either, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera," or "You're punked." No such luck. He informed me that under these circumstances he was supposed to arrest me. But to save me the embarrassment, he would allow me to drive to their head office. The offence was an unpaid traffic ticket for exceeding the speed limit in 2004. Yes, 2004. No error here. This was the first traffic ticket I ever received and which was paid. The next ticket I got was when I was recently stopped on that fateful Monday.
The irony was that I had the receipt in the car for at least four years as I did not trust the system. And of course on the day that I needed it, it was not in the car and I could not think where to find it. But am I expected to have this receipt in my possession over five years later? I was literally fit to be tied. "Upset" would have been an understatement. All I could think of was 50 murders last week and time is being wasted on me to provide proof of a ticket from 2004 that I had paid. I was thinking, tax collectors, or crime fighters?
The two police officers hurriedly got into their vehicle to escort me to their head office. Of course, I did not know where that was. After stopping traffic so I could reverse to utilise the exit, they indicated that I should drive in front of them. I imagine this was to ensure I did not flee, leaving them with my licence with all the pertinent information to find me.
Anyway, I told them that I did not know where to go, so they took the lead.
They drove at a speed far in excess of the speed limit I was just accused of breaking. I followed far behind, within the speed limit but within sight of them.
We arrived at the Elletson Road Police Station. I decided to give my documents a once-over in case I had missed the receipt. The officer who wrote me up was obviously in a hurry for me to exit the car so he could execute his duties, as such, I abandoned the search. On arriving inside the building, I was offered a seat and was told by an employee (not sure if this was a police officer as well) that I had a warrant for arrest for an unpaid traffic ticket. I told him that this ticket had been paid.
I then spoke to a senior officer who said that he would give me until the next day to provide proof of payment. So in this situation, it was a case of guilty until proven innocent. This officer indicated that the system was not foolproof. Lie! So they were fully aware that persons had paid and yet were still issuing arrest warrants. What kind of system is this? Obviously, one that promotes inefficiency and the negative perception of the police force.
My question is, what is being done to correct this situation without harassing law-abiding citizens who want nothing more than to be productive and to contribute to the national development?
I feel that the same energy it took to write the warrant for arrest could have gone into someone verifying payments. But this is possibly too simple a response to such a complicated matter.
I was advised to go to the tax collectorate downtown for verification of payment. This I did. As there was no sign for my particular need, I spoke to three persons and finally the fourth was the person I needed. She showed me on the computer monitor that the payment was made but said that I would have to go to the Constant Spring Road collectorate as I had paid the fine there. The information she had did not include the ticket number and particular traffic offence. And the police were not accepting this.
In 2009, in the age of technology, I left downtown with a printout of the information the tax employee was kind enough to give me. This, to expedite the visit to the next collectorate.
At the Constant Spring Road collectorate, the third person I spoke to was able to assist me by giving me a receipt for the payment with the necessary information required by the police. I then proceeded downtown again to provide the proof that was required.
I had spent all morning doing this. By this time, I was tired, hungry and frustrated, having not even had a sip of water for the day. I was just anxious to have this matter reconciled as soon as possible.
I arrived at the Traffic Division, with my documented proof that I had paid the traffic ticket. I had also made copies, which I had in my car. On viewing the documents, the same senior officer said that he would be forwarding them to the court. If I was stopped, at least I had a copy of the receipt. He also apologised on behalf of the police. At this time the apology was too little too late.
Can you imagine this happening to you on a weekend when there is no way of providing this proof and you are left to the mercy and discretion of the arresting officer? I strongly believe we can do better, and should demand better. The police should not be updating their records at the inconvenience of members of the public.
I must say though, all in all, the officers were very respectful in carrying out their duties. I hope that this system is reviewed and replaced with one that meets the objectives in a way which protects members of the public. For after all, are they not employed to protect and serve?
Don't take anything for granted. Check to see if there is a warrant out for your arrest.
lissiebarnes@yahoo.com
Columns
An arrest warrant may be out for you - even if you have paid your traffic ticket!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
BY LISSIE BARNES
HAVE you received a traffic ticket within the last five or six years? If youhave, the following account is a must-read. I believe it is my duty to share with members of the public - who, like me, are possibly in ignorance - my experience of December 7 with the police from the Traffic Division.
I know they say that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but...
I was pulled over for exceeding the speed limit of 50km per hour on the Sir Florizel Glasspole Boulevard, Kingston. The first officer I encountered came with his radar gun indicating I was doing 76km per hour. I am on record as having said, "I beg to differ," and that I would be going to court to pay this fine, even though I did not believe I had exceeded the speed limit.
Be that as it may, my word was powerless against the irrefutable proof that was presented to me by an officer of the law. He then requested documents for my car which were all in order.
Then he requested my driver's licence which he took to his squad vehicle. In my rear-view mirror, I saw him writing up the ticket. He returned with same and informed me that there was a warrant for my arrest.
Naturally, I thought he was joking. I expected someone to come out and say either, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera," or "You're punked." No such luck. He informed me that under these circumstances he was supposed to arrest me. But to save me the embarrassment, he would allow me to drive to their head office. The offence was an unpaid traffic ticket for exceeding the speed limit in 2004. Yes, 2004. No error here. This was the first traffic ticket I ever received and which was paid. The next ticket I got was when I was recently stopped on that fateful Monday.
The irony was that I had the receipt in the car for at least four years as I did not trust the system. And of course on the day that I needed it, it was not in the car and I could not think where to find it. But am I expected to have this receipt in my possession over five years later? I was literally fit to be tied. "Upset" would have been an understatement. All I could think of was 50 murders last week and time is being wasted on me to provide proof of a ticket from 2004 that I had paid. I was thinking, tax collectors, or crime fighters?
The two police officers hurriedly got into their vehicle to escort me to their head office. Of course, I did not know where that was. After stopping traffic so I could reverse to utilise the exit, they indicated that I should drive in front of them. I imagine this was to ensure I did not flee, leaving them with my licence with all the pertinent information to find me.
Anyway, I told them that I did not know where to go, so they took the lead.
They drove at a speed far in excess of the speed limit I was just accused of breaking. I followed far behind, within the speed limit but within sight of them.
We arrived at the Elletson Road Police Station. I decided to give my documents a once-over in case I had missed the receipt. The officer who wrote me up was obviously in a hurry for me to exit the car so he could execute his duties, as such, I abandoned the search. On arriving inside the building, I was offered a seat and was told by an employee (not sure if this was a police officer as well) that I had a warrant for arrest for an unpaid traffic ticket. I told him that this ticket had been paid.
I then spoke to a senior officer who said that he would give me until the next day to provide proof of payment. So in this situation, it was a case of guilty until proven innocent. This officer indicated that the system was not foolproof. Lie! So they were fully aware that persons had paid and yet were still issuing arrest warrants. What kind of system is this? Obviously, one that promotes inefficiency and the negative perception of the police force.
My question is, what is being done to correct this situation without harassing law-abiding citizens who want nothing more than to be productive and to contribute to the national development?
I feel that the same energy it took to write the warrant for arrest could have gone into someone verifying payments. But this is possibly too simple a response to such a complicated matter.
I was advised to go to the tax collectorate downtown for verification of payment. This I did. As there was no sign for my particular need, I spoke to three persons and finally the fourth was the person I needed. She showed me on the computer monitor that the payment was made but said that I would have to go to the Constant Spring Road collectorate as I had paid the fine there. The information she had did not include the ticket number and particular traffic offence. And the police were not accepting this.
In 2009, in the age of technology, I left downtown with a printout of the information the tax employee was kind enough to give me. This, to expedite the visit to the next collectorate.
At the Constant Spring Road collectorate, the third person I spoke to was able to assist me by giving me a receipt for the payment with the necessary information required by the police. I then proceeded downtown again to provide the proof that was required.
I had spent all morning doing this. By this time, I was tired, hungry and frustrated, having not even had a sip of water for the day. I was just anxious to have this matter reconciled as soon as possible.
I arrived at the Traffic Division, with my documented proof that I had paid the traffic ticket. I had also made copies, which I had in my car. On viewing the documents, the same senior officer said that he would be forwarding them to the court. If I was stopped, at least I had a copy of the receipt. He also apologised on behalf of the police. At this time the apology was too little too late.
Can you imagine this happening to you on a weekend when there is no way of providing this proof and you are left to the mercy and discretion of the arresting officer? I strongly believe we can do better, and should demand better. The police should not be updating their records at the inconvenience of members of the public.
I must say though, all in all, the officers were very respectful in carrying out their duties. I hope that this system is reviewed and replaced with one that meets the objectives in a way which protects members of the public. For after all, are they not employed to protect and serve?
Don't take anything for granted. Check to see if there is a warrant out for your arrest.
lissiebarnes@yahoo.com
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