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Corporal Rohan James, Chairman of the Police Federation, speaking with Hotline host Dr. Orville Taylor on Monday
The Jamaica Police Federation is to be updated Monday on the signing of a Ministerial Order to allow all on-duty police personnel unfettered access to toll roads across Jamaica.
The Order has to be signed by the Ministry of Transport.
At present, only highway patrol officers with the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch have passes to access the toll roads freely.
The issue of the police having unhindered access to toll roads is again being discussed following an accident on Saturday on the North-South Highway which led to the death of Constable Donald Carr.
The Police Federation has reported that cops transporting the injured policeman were prevented from exiting the toll road without paying.
National Security Minister Dr. Horace Chang told Radio Jamaica News that should not have happened as a directive was given to allow passage to all emergency vehicles and the police.
But speaking Monday on Radio Jamaica's talkshow programme, Hotline, Police Federation chairman Corporal Rohan James argued that it is clear from reports that toll employees are not aware of the current directive from the government and "are seemingly at sea when it comes on to responding to emergency situations".
Speaking with the Gleaner, Hugh Faulkner, Chairman of the Toll Authority, said any policy shift to allow for the police to be exempt from toll charges would have to be addressed in law.
According to Corporal James, Dr. Chang has indicated that an update on the "long overdue" Ministerial Order will come today.
Emergency services needed
At the same time, the Police Federation chairman has recommended that the Toll Authority make ambulances and wrecking services available on toll roads.
"We need to respond promptly when there is an accident on the toll road, with the necessary resources to mitigate against any loss of life or furtherance of any injury," he reasoned.
Corporal James said police vehicles should also be equipped with first aid kits to better enable them to respond to emergencies or citizens' needs.
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