…says ‘C’ Division Commander
By Ramona Luthi
Police “C” Division Commander, Calvin Brutus on Wednesday asserted that according to the laws of Guyana, persons who are stopped by police officers who suspect them of driving under the influence of alcohol, should be administered a breathalyser test on the road- at the point where they were stopped.
This affirmation comes as a result of several complaints received by this news entity that drivers would be stopped by traffic ranks and ordered to drive to various police stations to be given a breathalyser test.
“The test should be done on the road. That’s the initial test because it makes no sense or its rather inconvenient, and the law is clear”, he remarked.
Commander Brutus also explained that the drivers of motor vehicles usually become frustrated each time they are stopped and no offence has been committed on their part.
“Even in our policy, when you take someone off the road and inconvenience them, they lose time and distance travelled, and expense in gas and what have you, to take them somewhere to test them and then to find out there’s no alcohol in their systems. It’s an inconvenience and that’s why we have the mobile stations where the tests ought to be administered on the road, on the spot where ever you stop them,” he told iNews during an interview.
Moreover, when confronted with concerns aired by residents in the East Coast Division about them being systematically harassed by traffic ranks, especially at routine road blocks, Brutus denied knowledge of such but promised to look into the matter and have it addressed.
“I’m unaware of these complaints but I’m going to enquire and look into that,” he assured.
