Director of Education, Research and Training at the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), ACP Alexander Kwaku Obeng, has unequivocally stated that the introduction of the TraffiTech-GH system does not signify a reduction in police presence on the roads. He clarified that police officers will continue to be physically present to manage traffic, respond to accidents, and handle critical situations requiring direct human intervention.
Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show on Wednesday, August 26, ACP Obeng explained that the use of cameras was intended to complement, rather than replace, conventional police work. He emphasized that police visibility remains essential because there are several situations that cannot be effectively managed through cameras or other digital tools.
ACP Obeng further elaborated that police visibility will continue to be necessary because there are several situations that could not be effectively handled by cameras or other digital tools.
He added that officers would still be required to respond quickly to road crashes, manage traffic around accident scenes, and ensure that injured people received assistance. ‘Even in the case that when accidents occur, police officers have to be quickly deployed to ensure that roads will be managed,’ he said.
He also emphasized that persons injured are being attended to. Those who have suffered brutality are being referred, among others.
He stated that certain provisions under the road traffic laws would also continue to require the physical presence of police officers.
According to ACP Obeng, police officers would also remain available to assist members of the public and deal with situations where roads are deliberately obstructed or used inappropriately. ‘Is it not the case that people may obstruct the road and do all manner of things? So, policing will be sustained,’ he said.
ACP Obeng, however, did acknowledge that technology could reduce the need for police officers to physically stop motorists for certain traffic offenses. He explained that digital enforcement could allow the police to gather evidence of traffic violations and engage vehicle owners or drivers without necessarily stopping them on the road.
‘But issues regarding gathering evidence that normally will require arrest, impound, let’s go to a police station, and the convenience and all that, it is easy for us now to use digital tools, simple technologies, and software applications that will run on it for us to interface with the person who owns or who is driving without necessarily stopping or taking them to the police station,’ he added.
ACP Obeng stated that the digital system was being introduced as part of a broader effort to create a safer and more resilient road environment. ‘We are bringing it alongside, in the hope that in the future, we will have a more resilient road environment where digital tools will assist police,’ he said.
He said the system could also encourage motorists to become more conscious of their behavior, particularly when they know that traffic violations can be detected even when an officer is not physically present. ‘So that we’ll be able to protect many of our citizens who are permitted to come onto the road space to drive either two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and many of the vehicles that are running on multiple axles,’ he said.
He said the ultimate objective was to prevent avoidable traffic offenses and the crashes, deaths and injuries associated with them. ‘I think police are there, day and night. So that people will be safe from committing certain preventable infractions that are exposing many of our compatriots and citizens to danger that are leading to preventable crashes, associated deaths, and injuries,’ he said.
According to him, Parliament had permitted about 49 offenses to be dealt with under the relevant framework, with additional motor infractions bringing the number to about 79 under Regulation 174.
‘So I’m not surprised Parliament permitted about 49. And if you add the motor infractions, about 79 under Regulation 174,’ he said.
According to him, the expanded enforcement framework would help protect road users, including motorists and users of two, three- and four-wheeled vehicles. ‘So that we’ll be able to protect many of our citizens who are permitted to come onto the road space to drive either two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers, and many of the vehicles that are running on multiple axles,’ he said.
‘And as the roads are being opened up, drivers will be conscious that they are driving for life,’ he added.
The TraffiTech-GH system has been introduced to identify, track and penalise motorists who violate road traffic regulations.
TraffiTech-GH is an automated traffic enforcement system developed by the Ghana Police Service to monitor road use and improve road safety.
Watch Related Video
Source: MyJoyOnline
