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Traffic Dept Handles Complaints against Fines, Not Police Stations

DUBAI - Objections to fines and other penalties imposed for traffic violations are to be registered with the General Department of Traffic of the Dubai Police, and not at police stations, said Lt. Major-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, while also informing that 1,000 such objections were recorded in 2009.

Dhahi Khalfan said that the General Department of Traffic is the authority responsible for handling traffic issues, especially traffic violations, and so, it should not be ignored in matters of objections against traffic violations recorded by the police. He also added that the Dubai Traffic Prosecution has not informed the Dubai police that complaints should be lodged at police stations instead of General Department of Traffic of Dubai Police.

An official representing his company recently said he went to Dubai Traffic Prosecution to lodge objection to penalties imposed for two traffic violations recorded in the name of an Indian driver working in the same company as his.

He said that the driver was at the airport tunnel when he saw in the rearview mirror a policeman on a motorbike moving in his direction and pointing at him. The driver thought the policeman wanted to pass, so he gave him way, but the policeman instead issued him two tickets of Dh800 for not leaving enough space and for not paying attention. He was also issued four black points.

The employee said that Dubai Public Prosecution officials told him to go to the police station under whose jurisdiction falls the area where the incident took place. He went to Qusais Police station where officials told him to go Rashidiya Police station as the incident took place in their area.

He said he was stunned when the police officials at Rashidaya Police Station told him that they were not informed that complaints of this nature were to be received by them.

He said that the General Department of Traffic of the Dubai Police is responsible for handling various traffic issues and specially traffic violations, and that its role could not be ignored in recording objections to penalties awarded for traffic violations, especially since the traffic department has all the cameras and documents regarding the traffic offences recorded by the police.

Dhahi Khalfan said that directors of Dubai Police Stations have the right to cancel the traffic violation recorded. He said that coordination with General Department of Criminal Investigation, which is supervised by the police station, is not enough and that the traffic department should be informed.

The traffic department has recorded 1,000 objections against recorded traffic violations during 2009. Of these, Dubai Traffic Prosecution has confirmed 412 traffic violations and cancelled penalties for 297 while Dubai Traffic Prosecution is still looking into the other complaints,

amira@khaleejtimes.com

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