Mahendra Singh has noted. Citizens who violently resist or refuse to cooperate with traffic police will be tased, according to Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh.

In a statement released by Radio Eve Leary, the Guyana Police Force said there has been an increase of violent assaults against traffic officers across the country. The statement noted that “traffic ranks are being faced with significant challenges in enforcing the laws of Guyana, especially since a significant number of citizens are bent on breaking the laws by committing traffic breaches and not cooperating with the policemen when caught.” These confrontations, the statement added, are becoming increasingly common among motorists, who attack traffic ranks who are unarmed.

“I want to re-emphasise that this type of behaviour by our citizens will not be condoned by the Guyana Police Force, more so the department. Anyone found committing any traffic offence in this country and when challenge by our traffic officers’ resort to violently resisting and assaulting them will be met with the full force of the law,” Singh stated. Police also responded to recent videos circulating on social media, which show members of the public assaulting uniformed officers. “With the recent social media posts of members of the public violently assaulting and resisting police ranks in uniform with impunity and feels that its business as usual, the Guyana Police Force has undertaken training ranks in the use of less-than-lethal and non-lethal force,” police said.

In an effort to address the recent surge in violent resistance, Singh announced that traffic ranks will now be equipped with taser guns. “The Traffic Chief says traffic ranks will now be issued with taser guns to protect themselves and to properly subdue offenders in the process of enforcing the laws and bringing them to justice.” The use of tasers, police emphasised, will be conducted within the legal framework and used only as the minimum required non-lethal force. “Offenders who are willing to attack law enforcement officers, especially traffic policemen, will be properly tased with the use of taser guns, arrested and brought to justice,” police said. (Kaieteur News)