Over a thousand people ticketed in cop road campaign
(CNS): Almost one in four people tested by the police during the Christmas week were found to be drunk-driving police said on Tuesday. In the seventh week of the festive road safety campaign 22 percent of drivers tested were found to be over the legal limit. The RCIPS has also issued 777 speeding tickets during the campaign as well as more than 350 tickets for other traffic violations and a further 147 to those not wearing seatbelts. However, the public complaints and controversy that police are spending too much time on traffic offences and not enough on serious crime continues.
Since Monday 21 December 2009 44 people have been breath tested – and ten of those now face court on charges of DUI. This figure includes the 16-year-old-boy who was arrested after he crashed a Honda Civic into a concrete pillar injuring himself and the other four occupants of the car on 22 December 2009, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) stated.
All of the offences as well as the DUIs were detected either as a result of routine traffic patrols or through the numerous static road checks carried out by officers as part of the festive road safety drive.
“Christmas was not quite so merry for a number of people this year,” said Sergeant Kim Ramoon of the RCIPS traffic department. “Ten people who decided that they would ignore all of our warnings and take the chance to drink and drive now face court and the possibility of being heavily fined or losing their license. It’s not worth the risk. These people are now counting the cost of taking the chance that they wouldn’t get caught.”
Ramoon warned that road checks will continue right throughout the New Year. “The message from RCIPS is don’t gamble with your safety, don’t risk injuring or killing innocent people on the roads with your selfish actions and don’t risk your livelihood if you need your car for work. Let’s face it if you lose your license you may find you’ll also lose your job.”
Sergeant Ramoon was keen to stress the need to make sure drivers comply with other aspects of traffic law. “Some of the excuses for speeding are quite ridiculous -being late for an appointment, thinking about what you’re going to make for dinner, or wanting to be home in time for a ball game are not excuses for speeding,” he added. “When you’re behind the wheel of a car you need to be fully aware of your surroundings, be aware of your own speed and how your actions can impact on others. This is not about targeting ‘innocent’ motorists. This campaign is all about making the roads of Cayman safer for everyone. So my plea to the motoring public is play your part and think about road safety.”
In addition to the ten arrests for DUI during the past week police issued 226 (two hundred and twenty six) speeding tickets, 8 (eight) drivers have been found not to be wearing seatbelts, and 106 (one hundred and six) people have been issued with traffic tickets for various offences including failing to stop, failing to indicate and expired vouchers.
That brings the campaign totals to date to 26 (twenty six) DUI arrests; 777 (seven hundred and seventy seven) people issued with speeding tickets; 147 (one hundred and forty seven) found not be wearing seatbelts; 359 (three hundred and fifty nine) people issued with traffic tickets for various offences.
Category: Local News
if some of these people had killed themselves or others with their drunk driving you people would be complaining that they didn’t spend enough time on drunk driving over the holidays. How predicticable you bloogers are. Bunch of complainers.
The police should be applauded for their obvious efforts over the holidays. Now that the holidays are over the police can focus more resources on the wannabe’s.
nobody gives two rats ass about the police!
Wow this is fantastic news. While all the cops are out issuing tickets, law and order is breaking down with murders, armed robberies etc etc. It’s time someone in control, took a step back and looked at the big picture.
This headline is a diabolic example of misplaced priorities….. Cops, get out there and start solving the real crimes!!!!!
no, no, no, no, no!! You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, and have been watching too much TV.
A cop is a cop is a cop. If you think for one second that the officers that drive around in traffic cars here have any semblance of specialist training worthy of a 21st century police service, then you are fundamentally deluded. UK advanced driver training? Cumulatively ayt least 6 weeks solid… US/State trooper training? 8 weeks solid, all with required pass marks… Cayman Traffic officer training? "what’s that box over there with the wheels at each corner called?" Reply, "Er, Weeee Hical?" "close enough son, you’re in, welcome to the traffic department!!"
ALL the local cops here have barely any training (although one of those wicked expats has recently lifted the standard of training here), and many people are so resistant to experienced expatriate cops coming here, that any skills they have are suppressed.
Any idiot can write a traffic ticket (though many of them contain fundamental evidential mistakes that would allow you to have them over turned if you took the time to look) . Many of the traffic cops here are on the traffic unit because they can’t make it anywhere else. Any police officer here has the power to deal with traffic offences, and there are very few ‘specialist’ officers, but even if they are (such as scenes of crime) they are still a constable at the end of the day, and should be doing normal police work.
Know your facts commenters… the fact that an individual is a traffic cop does not preclude them from upholding the fundamental duties of a constable.
How does a civilian pull over a police car breaking the law and give them a ticket? It must have happened somewhere in the commonwealth. I am thinking of trying it, not because I have any objection to getting tickets myself, but surely I can hold them to the same standard they hold me to.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit?
Allright! Get those criminals what they deserve! The other half of the story is that they didn’t ticket anyone FOLLOWING THE LAW. For all of those this is a great thing as you will be saveing their lives and makeing the roads safer for them. All the Cayman (I don’t have to follow the law) criminals will now cry to all that will listen how what a waste of time and money to crack down on them and their friends when they sould be doing something else. Keep up the good work and please do not stop. You are appreciated!
It is also my understanding that there are various teams within the police force with each team dedicated to a specific area. If this is so the traffic cops are doing their job and, in addition to that, possibly helping the other teams by being on the lookout for guns, drugs, etc……
Bring Derek Haines back!!
Hey, the Police should take the opportunity of all these traffic stops (offences) to take fingerprints and start a database. After all, if caught speeding or DUI, these are offences under the law and could legally justify giving fingerprints (with legislative changes if necessary). While we wait on Immigration to even consider implementing a fingerprint system to lead to the identification of possible ‘outside’ offenders, many crimes are being committed by our own people.
Tell me, would you resist giving up your fingerprint for a traffic offence if you knew that everyone else was being subjected to same and perhaps one day it could lead to catching the rapist or killer of someone close to you? If you know that you won’t be involved in crime, why not?
Desperate times call for desperate measures and no one can deny that these are desperate times and likely getting worse. People are calling for action and for RCIPS to do something. Well, here’s something to consider.
I always thought that different officers were trained in different areas. Thus, it would be traffic officers dealing with speeding, DUI, seatbelts etc. These same officers would not have the training required to deal with the serious crimes that are taking place. Therefore, we should not be expecting them to do anything other than what they are trained for and hopefully the officers trained for more serious crimes will get the assistance from the public they need to solve the murders, robberies etc. that are occuring.
My husband and I was stop by the police. We was doing 40 in a 25 which i know is wrong and i dont give them wrong for giving us the ticket but when they pull us over the officer come to the window ask my husband do u see the speed you was doing..after he asnwer him the officer then shouts tell me the numbers. trust me it is only by God will i didnt say something nasty to him. How do they officers expect us as a comunity to respect them when you have these so wanna be cops on the road.( I was always told if you want respect you must give respect. ) also can someone please explain to me if the law as change inregards of the police cars. because far I know all police vehicles must be mark (AND NOT MARK) like the chevy the traffic dept. have and all police must be visible when doing these road blocks….
Lucky for you is was just Traffic police and not the English police that stopped you.
This is all good and well.
My concern is that it is seen as a "campaign"…which suggests that shortly things will go back to normal. The Police should be ticketing people more period!…more regular speed traps…more tickets at roundabouts for reckless driving, especially speeding through and failing to signal.
I can appreciate that the traffic offences are important…and seperate from serious crime. However, the public is seeing Cayman experience a strong surge in serious violent crime…with no surge to conteract same. While the same Police are conducting a surge "campain" to impact traffic offences. Again, this is important…but it is as important (or more so) that the Police (and Powers that be) implement a "campaign" to deal with serious crime…NOW!
Justice cannot be seen to be done if it is seen to be done…only in certain areas…or to certain people.