Andrea Downer, Features Writer

District Constable Lincoln Irving of the process office at the police traffic headquarters at Elletson Road, Kingston, sifts through a file cabinet bulging with outstanding traffic warrants, some of which date back several years.- Photo by Andrea Downer

Sergeant Paul Gammon is a frustrated man. For 16 years, he has been a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). Sixteen years he said he has spent working in a system that simply does not work.

Sergeant Gammon heads the process office in the Traffic Department at the Elletson Road Police Station in east Kingston, and he also heads the special unit that was recently given the mandate to execute about 80,000 warrants to motorists with outstanding traffic tickets. Those motorists have either failed to attend traffic court or pay fines for traffic offences.

The tough-talking cop, who wore his forthrightness like a badge of honour, was very open in his criticism of a system which he said is not only costing the government much needed revenue, but is endangering the lives of many Jamaicans.

Sergeant Gammon said correctiveaction for his department, which would save the government millions, is really very simple, but is not being done.

"The current ticketing system is useless," he stated scathingly. "A lot of (motorists) accumulate 10 points which should result in the suspension of their licences. However, they continue to drive, as there is no system by which a traffic police would find out how many points he has against his licence when the motorist is stopped on the streets," he added. Sergeant Gammon is convinced that his unit has been given the proverbial basket to carry water.

More staff

Said he: "The unit needs more staff. I have 10 personnel and they have to execute warrants, subpoenas, file accident reports, carry out traffic patrols and attend traffic court, which runs from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. with a two-hour break," he explained.

He said the business of executing summonses is easier said than done as most traffic offenders are no longer living at the addresses on their licences.

"People move frequently and, during the five-year period that a licence is valid before it has to be renewed, some people move several times as many people do not own their own homes, but rent. Migration patterns, which see people moving from rural to urban (areas) and vice versa, also compound the problem," Sergeant Gammon continued.

Head of the Island Traffic Department, Senior Superintendent Ealan Powell told The Gleaner last month that a local company was installing a data system that would store all information on traffic offences. However, until that is completed, the archaic system remains firmly in place, and Sergeant Gammon's unit has been given the task of tracking down traffic offenders and literally taking them to court. Confirming his earlier claim of always thinking outside the box, Sergeant Gammon revealed that he has devised an ingenious way of tracking down traffic offenders.

"We mainly do routine spot checks rather than visit the addresses on the warrants," he revealed. "Based on experience, and the number of motorists out there with multiple warrants, we have found that the probability of stopping persons with outstanding warrants is very high," he continued. "If we stop 10 motorists, two to three of them will have outstanding warrants," Sergeant Gammon stated confidently.

He disclosed that motorists who are apprehended in this manner are taken to traffic court immediately if they are held during the work week. However, he said overcrowded lock-ups in his division prevent his team from arresting those who are identified on weekends. But the ever resourceful Sergeant Gammon has devised a solution to that problem.

"We take them to the office and make appointments that are convenient to them for them to return to attend court," he stated whipping out a neatly kept file marked 'Appointments for Traffic Court'. He said this method is also used when they pick up motorists who have outstanding warrants issued in other parishes. However, despite his resourcefulness, Sergeant Gammon and his team said they are still hampered and often embarrassed by the inefficiencies in the present system.

"Some people pay their fines for traffic offences and due to inefficiencies in the system at the tax office and the traffic court, the court still issues warrants for them," he disclosed. He added that since the beginning of the year, the traffic court has issued 150 warrants for motorists who have already paid their fines. He said some motorists pay the fines again and then sue the government for large sums. "At least two motorists have successfully sued the government, one was awarded $150,000 and the other $50,000. Not bad for a $2,000 ticket!" he chuckled. Sgt. Gammon said constant appeals to the traffic court to prevent such occurrences have done little to remedy the problem. "They always say they do not have enough staff to check warrants against payments made," he stated.

The recently-released Auditor General's Report for 2005/2006 revealed that there were 526 outstanding commitments (warrants) involving approximately $15 million. According to the report, "it was also observed that warrants were often not issued promptly."

Major inefficiencies

The report has highlighted major inefficiencies and misappropriation of funds at several government-run entities including three of the island's courts. The report revealed that the government is losing billions of dollars through mismanagement and dishonesty among its employees. In concluding his evaluation of each section, the Auditor General routinely advises the ministry responsible to implement corrective action.

The Auditor General noted in his report that "audits of four court offices for the year under review (revealed) the continued need for improvements in the maintenance of cash books, value books, receipt book registers, bank reconciliation statements and the cheques stock record."

Nonetheless, Sgt. Gammon had high praise for the efficiency with which the traffic court dispenses of cases, which he said has been boosted by the extended hours of night court, which runs from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. He is also grateful for a Hiace bus that was recently assigned to the unit, which transports motorists to court, but he is not happy with the communication system, which now exists.

"The radio system is not efficient, as such, we have to be relying on the use of some cell phones that were procured through my initiative. The traffic cop said members of his unit use the phones to check with the offices to verify whether motorists who are stopped have warrants outstanding; but he said the current manual system is very slow.

"Within a two-hour period, my men call in approximately 100 names. The unit's efficiency would be greatly increased if we could get a laptop, which I would have with me at all times and the names could be checked more quickly," he stated.

As he continued to suggest solutions, Sergeant Gammon noted that the current policy which states that motorists from whose licences points have been deducted, have to drive for three years without getting any tickets before the points can be expunged, should be reviewed.

"There are a lot of habitual traffic offenders out there and when they are aware that they have accumulated enough points that would result in their licences being suspended, they are very unwilling to appear in court for other tickets or to answer to warrants. They know that the system is inefficient, and they can continue to drive for a long time without being detected," he continued.

Sergeant Gammon said of 4,331 warrants received since the start of the year, his unit has executed 1,961.