BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWELVE wardens attached to the Traffic Department recently graduated from a training programme in Traffic Laws and Traffic Management.
The course ran for six weeks - between October and December - with the traffic wardens taking to the classroom at the Police Training Complex two days per week.
The participants – all of whom were women – range in experience from little more than one year to more than 10 years.
With the training being facilitated by Head of the Traffic Department Inspector Carl Caines and attorney Dr. Agatha Andrews, the participants, in the case of the less-experienced wardens, were exposed to the information in the case of the more seasoned wardens, their knowledge of the laws and procedures was refreshed.
Inspector Caines, in speaking with SKNVibes, explained that such training occurs ever-so-often and is necessary because “they are the first line of encounter with the public in terms of traffic offences and they need to understand customer service, the laws of the land, how to react in certain situations and how to enforce the laws…”
While the training had heavy focus on theory, the wardens were exposed to the practical aspects of what they were being taught. As Inspector Caines explained, the practical lesson saw the wardens hitting the road one evening to identify “night offences”. These include vehicles fitted with coloured lights and vehicles being operated with one functioning headlamp.
He informed that in some instances, offending motorists were ticketed for driving without a valid driver’s license.
Nearing the end of the training, the traffic wardens were subjected to – as Caines explained – examinations in both the theory and practical aspects of the course.
All emerged successful and were presented with certificates of successful completion at the graduation ceremony.
The certificates were presented by Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley.
Caines told SKNVibes that while similar training exercises had been previously conducted, this is the first time that a graduation has taken place.
