Senior Reporter
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
Two police officers, who were recorded on dashcam footage misinforming a driver that he was supposed to move aside because they were in a marked police car, are to be sent for retraining.
The three-minute and four-second-long video showed the officers attempting to enter the left lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway. They were prevented from doing so because the driver did not give way. The officers in the police car did not signal to switch lanes and did not have the siren on. The police car then sped along the shoulder and the officers ordered the driver to stop. The two officers came out and informed the driver of his alleged infraction before driving off.
Speaking with Guardian Media yesterday, host of the TTPS’ Beyond The Tape programme, ASP Ishmael Pitt, said after the video of the incident was shown on the programme, he spoke with officials and the Police Training Academy to have the officers retrained.
Pitt made a similar comment during the programme on Thursday, where he thanked the public for providing the footage.
He said then, “We appreciate when we have sight of footage like this, so that where training needs exist and where there is need to remedy the behaviour and actions of our officers, we could take it, utilise it, seize the opportunity, so to speak, to ensure that we have those officers appropriately trained and appropriately educated.”
During the encounter with the motorist, the officer, who was not recorded identifying himself, told the man that regulations stated that whenever an emergency vehicle is driving, other drivers must give that vehicle way. He insisted that the proper protocol is for drivers to pull to the left.
Despite the driver’s pleas that the officer never used the indicator informing him he wanted to switch lanes, the officer insisted the driver was wrong for not allowing him to move from the centre lane to the left lane. Driving regulations stipulate that drivers should keep to the left unless overtaking. The officer attempted to overtake on the left.
Pitt noted that drivers should give way to emergency vehicles but under specific circumstances.
“Usually, emergency vehicles are equipped with sirens and lights and all these methods of capturing the attention of the motoring public that there is something we need to respond to, or we need to get to within a short period of time,” he said.
Pitt did not say when the officers will be retrained.