Wreckless

While the incident demonstrates an unacceptable attitude to law enforcement authorities, it also raises serious questions about the conduct of the police in caustic situations such as the one involved.

A better job must be done of enforcing legal provisions and in the exercising of the police’s lawful powers. This was no laughing matter.

The Police Complaints Authority must complete its probe into this issue speedily.

From the reports that have emerged, the State tow truck took away an illegally parked vehicle while the driver was sitting on the bonnet. The man and his car were taken from South Quay to the Traffic Branch in Sea Lots, Port-of- Spain.

It is reported that the driver was in his car when a police officer at the scene asked him to remove his vehicle. He did not appear to immediately comply with this.

Instead, he exited the vehicle and sought to engage the officer. The car was then towed. In protest, the driver appears to have sat on his car.

Several things about this narrative are alarming.

In the first place, we must condemn any disregard for the orders of members of the law enforcement authorities. Under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, any member of the Police Service can “require the driver or other person in control or in charge thereof to remove it or cause it to be removed” when parked in contravention of traffic rules.

If the driver or other person in control or in charge of such vehicle cannot be found or refuses to remove it when required to do so, then an officer can order the vehicle to be towed nonetheless.

According to the Police Service Regulations, a duty is placed on the relevant police officer to “make brief enquiries in the immediate vicinity in an effort to locate the driver.” Clearly, the driver of this vehicle was close to it. But that is not the end of the matter. Was this vehicle parked in contravention of traffic rules? If so, did that driver comply with an order to remove his vehicle? It must be emphasised that generally police officers have a power to arrest people in situations where those individuals are obstructing them in the exercise of their lawful functions. In this instance we must question why the driver was not arrested as soon as it became clear he had engaged in the unacceptable conduct by seating himself on his car petulantly.

In acting as he did, the driver not only appeared to ignore orders by a police officer but also endangered his own life. This conduct posed a risk to commuters and drivers in the vicinity since any accident involving him could have had a ricochet effect. This was an irresponsible, reckless act. It should never have happened.

And the officials on the scene and the tow-truck drivers should never have allowed it to occur. A firmer stance was needed.

Too often citizens have the perception that wreckers are driven by greed and little else. Since these officials gain commissions per wreck, we may assume they are motivated by a mercenary zeal.

That perception is only worsened when vehicles are wrecked in situations where people are endangered.

This incident was a nonsensical waste of resources in a situation where our detection rate is 17 per cent.

People are supposed to obey the law and if you are found parking in an area where you should not be you must stand the consequences.

But at the same time, there must be a standard process in which the police have a discretion. And no one should be allowed to endanger members of the public, including members of the public themselves.