The Guyana Police Force (GPF) said its ranks on mobile patrol are briefed on proper code of conduct when stopping motorists, in response to an item published in the Friday edition of the Kaieteur News.

In a press release the GPF said its ranks on mobile patrol duties are frequently briefed on the standard operation procedure regarding the stopping of motorists. This entails them exiting their vehicles and approaching drivers to inform them of why they are being stopped.

The force said too it is not its policy that ranks take drivers’ licences and use them as a means of ensuring that motorists report to a station, if necessary.  “Providing that none of the documents requested by the police rank is found not to be in order or suspected to be fraudulent, no vehicle document or driver’s license should be taken and kept by any rank,” the release said.

The police said too traffic ticket books are issued to ranks from all divisions and tickets are issued daily for varying ticketing offences. If a defaulting driver commits an offence for which a traffic ticket cannot be lawfully issued the driver could either be summoned to court or arrested and placed on a recognizance to be put before the court.

“The administration of the force does not condone the unnecessary detention of motor vehicles and orders are clear,” the release said. It added that while a vehicle can be initially held by a rank on duty, the standard practice is that only the divisional commander or an officer can give permission for any motor vehicle to be kept overnight.