Police defend new accident response policy

The Barbados Police Service is standing firm on its decision to redirect resources away from minor road accidents, amidst public criticism. The new policy, set to take effect on September 15, will see police officers no longer responding to minor traffic collisions, with insurance agents taking over this responsibility.

Inspector Rodney Inniss, speaking on Thursday’s edition of Down to Brass Tacks, defended the move as a strategic decision aimed at optimising police efficiency.

“We are not doing this policy as a knee-jerk reaction,” Inniss explained. “We’re doing it because we believe it’s the right way to continue [to ensure] our resources can be better handled dealing with the most serious of matters.”

The policy shift will see officers prioritising accidents involving fatalities and serious injuries, freeing up time for more pressing law enforcement duties. Inniss emphasised that this approach aligns with practices in other countries where police focus on severe incidents rather than minor fender benders.

“There are first world countries who’ve had vehicles long before us, who have more vehicles than us, who have more finances, more human resources, more technology than us, and this is the exact route they had to go, because they were at this juncture too,” Inniss stated. He posed the question, “Do we continue investigating 7 500 accidents annually, do we wait until we get 10 000 accidents annually, or do we make a decision and use the time to encourage and to train people in road safety?”

The police spokesman urged the public to give the new policy time to work, while reassuring Barbadians that officers will still attend to accidents involving serious injuries, fatalities, and hit-and-runs.

Anton Lovell of the General Insurance Association of Barbados voiced support for the move, insisting that the insurance companies are prepared to manage minor accidents.

“I’m certain that the policy can work. It frees up the police to do more crime fighting,” Lovell said, acknowledging that there will be challenges, but expressed confidence in the insurance industry’s ability to handle the responsibility.