By- Gibao Brima
In a bid to help broaden the knowledge of Divisional Traffic Officers on various traffic duties ranging from Investigation, Registration of case files and enquiries, accident scene and professionalism among others, the National Traffic Coordinator (NTC) Deputy Superintendent of police, Alimamy Koroma in hiees wisdom with the blessing of the Director of Traffic Assistance Inspector General Manfred Williams and team of the Traffic Secretariat and Road Safety on Saturday 22nd July,2023 helped a crash training for Divisional Traffic Officers residing both in the Western Urban and rural District of Freetown respectively to help broaden their knowledge on the above mentioned traffic duties which will help them in their line of duties and responsibilities.
Dilating on one of the key topics: Investigation and Registration of case files, the national traffic coordinator DSP Koroma told his colleagues that all case files need to be registered and properly monitored, adding that all case file should be investigate and completed within five month period, files should not extend into investigation into the sixth month if that is done then DTOs will not be doing their needful responsibilities since the time duration for all registered cases should fall within five month and not six.
Dilating further, DSP Koroma said DTOs should be quiet aware that cases keep coming but have to be aware that before advancing to any other case, they should finish the ones they have started for them to be in better position, adding that DTOs should always make sure there is a correct police bail bond signed and registered and there should always be two sureties to sign for the suspect and reason been if one of the sureties runaway or die as the case might be you will be in better position to have the other surety to produce their suspects when needed.
He carried on that suspects should not continue to be in custody for more than 72hrs except if the case involve is accident matter which is fatal then they can exceed that time to ensure the victim of accident condition is properly addressed.
Deputy Superintendent Koroma said that bail bond is a document that binds a person to produce somebody when needed noting that that there are two types of bail bond namely: a police bail bond and a court bail bond.
DSP Koroma cautioned DTOs that station diary is not a bail bond, adding that they have the right to formal and informal resolution on cases provided the parties agreed that they do not want case the case to proceed to court but make sure the case is completely closed if not, even if they are transferred DTOs will be held responsible wherever they are transferred.
He said that files can also be kept in view but always do the proper thing that will not hunt you.
DSP Koroma dilating further said this training will help DTOs to build up their capacity to actually know their duties and responsibilities, adding that it will help them to mentor other young personnel coming up.
Questions and answers climaxed the crash training programme.