An urgent call is being made to Police Commissioner Dwayne Gibbs to launch a thorough probe into a top police officer who the Police Service Social and Welfare Association claims has brought the Police Service into disrepute and embarrassment. The association's president, Sgt Anand Ramesar, made the call after former Coast Guard Commander Garnet Best of Barbados Road, Federation Park, St Clair, was issued a traffic ticket last January 10. The senior officer, however, wrote to Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard requesting that the ticket be disallowed. The officer cited that the ticket given to Best was unfairly and unjustly given and brought the capability of the police officer who issued the ticket into question. Ramesar also is urging that the matter be thoroughly investigated by Police Service Commission. A copy of the ticket was obtain by the T&T Guardian and the particulars read that on January 10, 2012 at 7.32 am at Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, Best breached a traffic sign which disallowed a right turn.
The ticket issued a fixed penalty of $1,000 and ordered to be paid before March 19. It is understood, however, that the senior officer wrote to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard asking that the ticket be disallowed. A copy of the letter sent to Gaspard, also obtained by the T&T Guardian and signed by the senior officer, carried the subject, "Fixed Penalty Ticket B651661, Nolle Proseque Request for:" The senior cop wrote: "I shall be grateful if you would consider offering no evidence in the above stated matters which are due for hearing on March 19, 2012 at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates' Court." In citing the "brief facts" to the DPP, the senior policeman said on January 10, 2012 a vehicle, driven by retired Commodore Garnet Best, was proceeding along Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, and made a right turn to enter Sackville Street. However, the senior officer stated, within the past two weeks a no right turn sign was placed there, limiting entry to traffic between prescribed hours. In defending Best, the officer wrote there were "no officers at the point to indicate otherwise," causing Best to proceed onto Sackville Street.
The senior officer further stated that as Best entered Sackville Street, "an officer emerged from a side street and issued him a fixed penalty ticket #B651661 for breach of traffic sign." "I am aware of your (Gaspard) previous advice in similar matters but due to the circumstances leading to the issuing of this ticket, I feel compelled to address you again in the interest of justice and fairness. "In an effort to restore some balance your kind intervention in not prosecuting the offence mentioned above is graciously sought," the senior officer wrote Gaspard. In defence of issuing the ticket, Woman Police Constable Marissa Jack, of the Central Police Station, strongly supported her decision to give Best the ticket, insisting all procedures were done above board.
In Jack' s statement which also was forwarded to the DPP, she said that around 7.32 am on January 10, 2012 she observed a dark-coloured vehicle Jeep/SUV turning right from the west-bound lane of Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, onto Edward Street. "As the vehicle turned and was proceeding north along Edward Street, Port-of-Spain, I observed the vehicle's registration number, PCL 22.
"I went to the centre of the street and made a stop signal and caused the vehicle to come to a stop. "I told the driver my number, rank and name. I told the driver of the PCL vehicle 22 that he made an illegal turn and I pointed to the road signs on Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain, and I told him there are signs indicating that it is illegal to turn right from Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain west-bound onto Edward Street, Port-of-Spain, and also no U-turn between the hours of 6 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 6 pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays," Jack stated. She said when she inquired from Best as to why he breached the traffic signal he responded that he "did not see the sign." Jack's statement was supported by a statement from Cpl Primchand Seepersad, also of the Central Police Station, who was also on duty at the time when Best was issued the ticket. In a memorandum sent from the DPP on January 25, 2012, Gaspard stated Best must pay the ticket having "considered all the circumstances."
Take action - Ramesar
According to the existing regulations of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, the senior officer cannot be disciplined and therefore the commission must thoroughly probe the matter and recommend the necessary action, Ramesar said. He cited that the incident was "never favourable to the progress to good administration in the Police Service." "It is an embarrassing situation and it must be something that the Police Service Commission must consider," he added.