Police using siren to avoid lines of traffic

You’re fatigued, tired, grumpy, hungry and caught in traffic, even though you left work at 4p.m. to catch the first ride home. People around you are bickering; bickering about things you really have no interest in hearing. Then you hear it! Sirens!

As they pass, you see them smiling and chatting often times with a civilian or co-worker. You wonder, ‘Is there really an emergency?’ And if there is no emergency ‘Are they allowed to turn on their sirens and escape the traffic?’

“Of course dem allow fi duh it. Dem a police yuh nuh, dem cyaan stay inna di traffic cause people can come up an’ attac’ dem,” a lady responded as I whispered the questions to myself while a coaster bus with about 12 armed officers passed the taxi I was in for the last hour.

And like a true Jamaican “dat is a fac’! Is law! Check di constitution young bwoy,” she ended.

I’m sure you have asked these same questions.

According to Inspector Victor Henry at the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), the Police Control Centre (PCC) alerts vehicles within the range of the emergency.  “When there is an emergency, they (police officers) can turn on their siren to go through the traffic so they can reach the destination as quickly as possible.”

“If an officer is on the scene of an accident, crime or any other emergency situation, assisting a pregnant woman or transporting criminals they can use their siren,” he further informed.

These are the only time they are allowed to turn on the siren.

“I am sure they are not alerted every five minutes,” a friend said as I shared with her the information I gleaned from the inspector.

According to her, she has seen where officers just to get out of the traffic to the gas station or a nearby police station used the siren.

However, if the police officers “are going about their normal business or on patrol, they are not allowed to use the siren to get out of the traffic,” Inspector Henry continued.

The truth is therefore that there is no rule or law permitting police officers to use sirens in a long line of traffic. So, the next time you are in traffic and you hear the siren, if you have evidence or believe there is no emergency, record the number of the vehicle, date and time it occurred and send the report to the Office of the Commissioner of Police.

email: jaevion.nelson@gleanerjm.com

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