KINGSTON, Jamaica – The new Road Traffic Act and Regulations will play a big part in efforts by the police to improve public order, according to Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson.

Anderson told a recent digital news briefing that they are a “welcome change and a major milestone” to improve road safety and are aligned with the modern Traffic Ticketing Management System (TTMS) of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

“The JCF has used the smart tech system to look up data on road users and vehicles, and this system is integrated into the TTMS,” he said, adding that the technology “improves the efficiency of our officers and reduces undue delays for motorists”.

Anderson reported that the JCF has 850 ticketing devices deployed across the island, and he expects that by the end of the year, the paper tickets will no longer be used.

He noted that the police issued 720,000 tickets in 2022, up from the 451,000 handed out in 2021.

The Commissioner said the police also have additional public order enforcement tools in the form of noise decibel and tint meters, which are set to come on stream, as noise has been a source of nuisance to to the public, from motor cars, motorcycles, as well as entertainment.

“People who operate without due consideration for the wider public, the decibel meter will be used by our public order and traffic teams to better regulate the noise levels,” he said, underscoring that the meters will also be used to enforce the relevant provisions of the new Road Traffic Act.

Anderson stressed that while the new Act provides for additional offences and greater fines, the provisions are “mainly designed” to make road use safe for everyone.

The legislation, he said, allows the “TTMS to be optimised through full automation, that is, from a breach is detected to the enforcement process to the courts, if a ticket remains unpaid beyond 30 days, or if the ticket is being disputed”.

He encouraged persons who feel that the law is unfairly enforced to take the name and number of the police officer and the vehicle involved and make a formal report to the High Command.