Disrespectful policeman issues ticket

THE EDITOR: I am writing this letter to express my utmost disgust at the way the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service distributes tickets whether parking or otherwise to citizens of this country. On Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004 while making my way to the Las Cuevas Beach Facility, I experienced yet again the police’s abuse of power and utter disrespect for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. My companion and I pulled over behind another car to do the courteous thing and not eat while driving. We then noticed two police officers walking toward the car in front of us; we then noticed them approaching our car. We were then requested to produce licence and insurance.

When we produced the above and inquired why we needed to, the officer walked off giving us a look that said to me, “I am above the law, ask me no questions.” He was three to five metres away from the car. After approximately 15 minutes of deliberation over the documents, it took a police van passing by to tell us we were receiving a ticket for parking in a “No Parking” area. Then and only then did the car in front of us drive off revealing a No Parking sign three to four metres from  the front wheels of the car.

My companion then came out of the car to inform the officer of the sign not being visible to us and asked why we were not informed of the reason behind giving us the ticket. To this the officer replied, “All yuh paying me to do this yuh know, so don’t complain.” It was not so much the issuing of the ticket that strongly perturbed us but those fifteen minutes were more than enough time to tell us why we were receiving the ticket and the disrespectful manner in which we were dealt with.

The officer should have known that by law one is required to know why one receives a ticket before a police officer issues it. I consider this extremely disrespectful, an abuse of authority and not at all Quality Customer Service. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service’s motto is “To Protect and Serve.” I recommend that they receive training in the concepts of Quality Service and Communication.

A GABRIEL
Port-of-Spain