Checkpoints for road safety

 THE purpose of setting up checkpoints is to ensure road safety and must not to be abused, according to National Capital District Traffic Inspector Philip Koliadi.  

“It’s through the check points that police traffic officers, Land Transport Division inspectors and National Road Safety Council officers monitor vehicles to see if they are roadworthy and also check on the validity of vehicle registration and driving  licence and other safety measures,” Koliadi said. “Check points must not be used to collect money illegally from motorists.”

He was responding to a report in The National about a police officer soliciting money from an expatriate who covertly caught him on camera. 

“The behaviour of one or two officers tarnish the good name of the police.” 

Koliadi said check points used to be set up only by police traffic officers. But now other agencies were doing it and there was no proper control. “Things happen everywhere. Traffic officers set up daily roadblocks and LRD inspectors and NRSC officers, too, conduct their own,” he said.

Koliadi said police officers from other units also helped at check-points.  

“My advice to motorists is if you are asked for money by any members of traffic unit, get the number plate of the vehicle, the time and location and lodge your complaint with the Boroko police traffic office.”