The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service has clarified that officers are required to release a vehicle if the driver or person in control appears while the vehicle is being hooked up to a wrecker, provided the vehicle has not yet been removed from where it was parked.
In a press release, the TTPS said:
“Where a vehicle has been hooked up or is in the actual process of being hooked up to a wrecker, but has not been removed, and the driver or person in control simultaneously appears and claims the vehicle, the officer shall release the vehicle to that person.”
It added: “Officers are then required to issue tickets for the offences committed or prosecute the driver or person in charge for non-ticketed offences.”
The TTPS explained that where it becomes necessary to remove a vehicle by wrecker to a designated place of safety, officers should first make brief enquiries in the immediate vicinity in an effort to locate the driver.
“If the driver is not found, officers should remove the vehicle. If the driver is found, officers should prefer the relevant charges for the offence committed and request the driver to remove the vehicle. However, if the driver refuses, officers should impound the vehicle,” the TTPS explained.
The police service said the wrecking of vehicles is carried out in accordance with the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, which empowers police officers to remove vehicles parked in violation of the law when they compromise safety, traffic flow, or public order.
The TTPS said it is mandated to ensure public safety, the free flow of traffic, and the maintenance of law and order on the nation’s roadways. It said vehicles parked unlawfully often pose serious risks, including obstruction to emergency vehicles, reduced visibility for motorists and pedestrians, and impediments to critical access points such as hospitals, police stations, fire routes, and residential areas.
According to the TTPS, improperly parked vehicles also contribute significantly to traffic congestion and can disrupt the efficient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and thus increase the likelihood of accidents, as well as placing members of the public at unnecessary risk.
The Police Service said wrecking “is not intended to be punitive, but is a necessary enforcement measure aimed at ensuring compliance with the law and preventing repeat offences, with the objective remaining behavioural change and voluntary adherence to traffic regulations.”
The TTPS also provided clarification on wrecking operations in Port of Spain and the process for locating and retrieving vehicles. It said wrecking operations are conducted at the TTPS impound yard on South Quay, Port of Spain, opposite Courts, between 9 am and 5 pm.
Motorists seeking the release of a wrecked vehicle are required to pay a release fee of $500. The TTPS said that where a vehicle remains at the impound yard overnight, an overnight storage fee of $200 per day applies, with payment accepted in cash only.
The Police Service advised persons wishing to enquire whether their vehicle was wrecked to contact the Port of Spain City Police Station at 299-0870, extension 2326.
It said motorists must present a valid driver’s permit and a certified copy for the vehicle to retrieve a wrecked vehicle.
The TTPS also encourages motorists to familiarise themselves with the procedures to facilitate a smooth and timely retrieval process.
