Police in Eastern Division intend to get tough with road traffic violators

Divisional Head of the Eastern Division of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Superintendent Hesran Ballantyne, has identified a list of concerns which he intends to reign in during this year. Among them is poor road use by van drivers and pedal cyclists, and praedial larcency.

The Superintendent outlined the list of concerns at an awards ceremony earlier this month during which 22 officers from the Eastern Division were recognised for outstanding performance and dedication to duty.

“Praedial larceny is of grave concern, and we must put measures in place to ensure that farmers get the full benefit from their root crops and livestock that they have invested in,” the divisional commander said in his wide-ranging address to those in attendance.

“ I am equally concerned about the number of traffic offences in the division. In 2022, there were five road fatalities resulting from the tragic accident in Sandy Bay,” he noted.

“Some van drivers in the Division drive their omnibuses with little to no regard to the Road Traffic Regulations. We are clamping down on that. We have also noticed that some peddle cycle riders are riding without helmets, lights at night, and other apparatus. We will be clamping down on that too.” Ballantyne highlighted among the successes in the Division for 2022 an increase in arrests and the rate of convictions and he also shared some of the goals for 2023.

These include having meetings with various stakeholders to discuss issues of policing in the district and ways to improve it; hosting of fortnightly/monthly radio programmes to sensitize the public on what the police are doing to ensure their safety; making periodic visits and presentations to schools; placing greater emphasis on Police Youth Clubs to lure the youths in the community away from violence and criminal activities; conducting enhanced, staggered patrols intended to help reduce and prevent crimes and clamping down on traffic violations to ensure the speedy prosecution of persons who transgress the traffic regulations.

The Divisional Commander also highlighted the training of young police officers in accident investigations, crime scene management, conducting electronic interviews, traffic laws and offences and organise parades in conjunction with faith based organisations among the goals for 2023.

He admonished his officers not to offer sloppy and mediocre service to the public, and to always give feedback and updates to persons who made reports to the police.

He warned that, “… those who fail to do so, will be disciplined according to police rules and regulations.”

Ballantyne said when he took up responsibility for the Division on October 3, 2022, he quickly realized that one of the major challenges was that of inadequate staff “to serve the residents in the community according to the vision I have for policing the district”.

He said however, this did not stop him from putting strategies in place in conjunction with other officers and residents to deal with the overall crime situation in the Division.
Among the 22 awardees were Auxiliary Officers and Traffic Wardens.

The ceremony was held at the Georgetown police station on March 4 under the theme :Eastern Division Celebrates Despite Challenges.

Commissioner of Police, Colin John addressing the attendees, commended Superintendent Ballantyne for his leadership, and the men and women on their performance in 2022. He applauded the plans and programmes the Division has put forward to deal with crime and community relations in 2023 and encouraged the officers who did not receive any award to improve their output so they can be considered in 2023.

The commissioner also used the opportunity to address the issue of the firearms that were stolen from the Georgetown Police Station and outlined measures that were put in place to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

The Eastern Division runs from the North Union bridge up north, to Fancy.