POLICE vehicles are to be equipped with a computer system that instantly pulls up motorists' records, in a move designed to reduce the growing number of civil cases brought against the police by drivers wrongfully arrested over fines that they have already paid.

THOMAS... the new system will definitely take away some of these errors that we now see

Although the police would not say how many civil cases were currently before the court, Observer sources say the numbers were significant and, when settled, could cost the government millions of dollars.

"There are quite a number of court cases," admitted Senior Superintendent Elan Powell, head of the Police Traffic Division.
"I have seen some files where people have taken civil action against the police," was all Powell would say.

He was responding to queries regarding the latest incidents where warrants were issued for two motorists who only escaped being carted off to jail after producing their receipts from the tax office.
Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas confirmed that there have been some civil cases brought against the police, but declined to provide figures.

He also said the frequent occurrence of people being issued warrants after paying fines was of great concern, and would be addressed speedily.
"It is a concern to us that some people who paid their tickets, warrants were issued out for them," Thomas said, adding that this was to be blamed on a system which had not worked very well over the last months.

The commissioner explained that these errors were caused from a combination of human frailty and malfunctioning equipment, as well as by the high volume of tickets that had been issued.
"The new system will definitely take away some of these errors that we now see," he told the Observer.

POWELL... there are quite a number of court cases

He said the new system, which is expected to significantly improve the police telecommunication capabilities, was slated to be implemented in February 2007.

The contract, which was signed a few months ago with Motorola and Harris, will see an undisclosed number of vehicles being fitted with laptops that will allow police officers to access on-the-spot information about motorists. Also to be incorporated into this system will be palm-held devices that serve the same purpose as the laptops.

"As I speak, there is work in progress," the commissioner said, adding that two weeks ago the police's technical team met again with Motorola and Harris and the project was now off the ground.

"So before World Cup Cricket 2007, by the latest February, we should see this system up and running," he said.
"This is what we envision as a first world country, with the technology available to us where the officer on patrol can access the information from within his motor vehicle by going online," the commissioner commented.

Currently, the police call in to 119 to get the information when they stop a motorist. This, Thomas said, does not always provide accurate information as it is not being accessed in real time.
"But now the police will be able to sit in their motor vehicle and access the information," he remarked.
"The new system will definitely take away some of these errors that we now see," he added.

Thomas said the police hoped to eventually acquire a licence identification system similar to that being used in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada.
With this system, the police can access all the information on a car and its owner just by running the plate.

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