BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THERE has been general compliance with the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force’s effort to clamp down on the number of excessively-tinted vehicles which are on the streets of the Federation.
This was the report given by Assistant Commissioner of Police with Responsibility for Operations Terrance James late last week at the Police Force High Command’s press conference.
Both James and Commissioner of Police Ian Queeley told the media that it was found that heavily-tinted rented vehicles were being used in the commission of criminal acts, particularly shooting incidents.
Last year, therefore, the Police Force began a campaign to have the tints on these vehicles removed.
“In 2017 we will continue our efforts to ensure compliance with the traffic regulations and particular emphasis will be placed on ensuring compliance to the regulation as it relates to the tinting of vehicles used for rentals with illegal things. Several of our shootings have been linked to vehicles in that regard and I must at this point say that closer to the end of last year, we would have met the rental owners and managers and indicated to them what the law states in relation to the tinting of public service vehicles, and instructions were given for all tints to be removed,” Queeley said.
ACP James said that at first, the Force was targeting the criminal elements of the local society but after their strategy to use heavily-tinted vehicles was realized, the Force began targeting the rental companies.
As for compliance with their directive, ACP James said there has not been full compliance but there is general compliance.
He also indicated that some of the rental agencies have complained that some of their vehicles were received “factory tinted” and as such, they were given until December 31, 2016 to have those removed from their fleet. And in that regard, there is still not 100 percent compliance but there is general compliance.
Police officers are empowered by the law to – upon observing a vehicle that it heavily tinted – ask the driver to remove the tint on the spot, impound the vehicle or issue a ticket.
Commissioner Queeley advised members of the public that should such vehicles be observed, the police can be alerted.
“So for the community on a whole, when you see a rental vehicle with tint on it, you know it is illegal and that may raise an eyebrow, and that may be an instance where you need to get in touch with us.”
