Acting Police Commissioner Addresses Social Media Tint Story, During a press conference yesterday afternoon, the Acting Commissioner of Police Darrin Simons provided an update and some clarification to members of the public, regarding a social media which claimed that police officers left a young couple and their three-month-old infant stranded on the roadside due to their vehicle being impounded as a result of a dark front tint.
Acting Commissioner Simons confirmed that in line with Operation Vega, police officers were conducting traffic stops near Garthowen Road in Devonshire, when they noticed the vehicle in question heading west along the road. According to him, the vehicle had an extremely dark tint on the front window, which is quite unusual.
“ Officers stopped the vehicle at the junction of Middle and Fort Hill Road in Devonshire and spoke with the male driver and female passenger,” the Acting Commissioner explained. “ An officer informed the driver of what they observed and the offense associated with it. While the officer was informing the male driver, the female passenger cut him off and indicated that they had previously been warned about the tint and asked why the same thing, such as another warning or a ticket, could not have been done again.”
Taking everything into consideration, officers took the vehicle in question to the police impound, where it was inspected by TCD officials and it was determined that it would indeed be impounded.
“ [As a result of the impound], summonses were served and people will be appearing before the courts in due course,” Mr. Simons said.
After impounding, he explained, officers offered to transport the young couple and their infant to their destination, but they refused due to being unwilling to sit alongside the baby in the K9 unit. According to the BPS, another offer was made to transport all of them in an unmarked police car, to which they also refused.
“ One officer decided to wait with the family as they attempted to secure their own transport,” Mr. Simons said. “ However, as the scenario continued to play out, the officer decided that their presence might be aggravating the situation and left.”
After reviewing all of the body-borne video of last night’s incident, he is very confident that the officers involved handled the situation courteously, professionally and with empathy.
“ I believe that the decision by our officers to impound the vehicle was appropriate in the circumstances and am satisfied that our officers made every effort to assist the young couple and their infant, but their assistance was repeatedly declined,” he said.
The Acting Commissioner advises the motoring public that, if they intend to put a tint on their vehicle, it must be compliant with the law. As it currently stands, the law allows for a small strip at the very top of the windscreen.
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