Cops round up missing offenders in warrant operation

| 28/01/2017 | 38 Comments

(CNS): The RCIPS executed 28 warrants on Thursday and arrested 19 people because they had failed to show up in court for criminal or traffic cases, or for unpaid traffic fines. The police are battling a mounting number of outstanding warrants as many are issued every week by the courts, particularly traffic court, because drivers ignore tickets and fines or fail to appear and it is down to uniform police officers to execute the warrants.

The operation on Thursday (26 January) took place across Grand Cayman, with officers arresting people in all districts.

“Warrants are a necessary enforcement tool for the court, and we will fulfill our role as officers of the court and enforce the warrants referred to us,” said Kurt Walton, the deputy police commissioner who has on numerous occasions raised his concerns about the number of warrants the police deal with over traffic offences.

On average, the process department of the RCIPS receives 120 court warrants per month, the overwhelming majority of which are traffic-related. “We urge the public to handle its court business in a timely way, not only because warrant executions tax officer’s time, they also can be a huge inconvenience and embarrassment for the person being arrested,” Walton added.

Attempts are made to contact people with outstanding warrants before police arrest them to give them a change to voluntarily visit the detention centre or the court to deal with their warrants to avoid them being taken into custody, and 13 people involved in this week’s warrant operation did that.

Members of the public who want to find out if they have any outstanding warrants should contact the court’s office or visit their nearest police station.

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Comments (38)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The elephant in the room is the general disregard for law and order. Why on earth are there so many tickets to begin with. Perhaps if people would respect the traffic regulations, this problem would not exist.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Why can’t we pay online?

  3. Rp says:

    I just got an expired sticker ticket 2 weeks ago ina traffic stop. Didn’t realize they were expired. 100 fine. Last week I went to Licensing dept and renewed my stickers and walked out. They never asked me to pay the traffic ticket. Why is it that these traffic tickets are not linked to licensing dept database?

    Gov can collect ticket fines, sticker fees and retro sticker fees at once.

    Apparently I have to go somewhere else to pay the fine.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Can I get a big gun and become a Marshall chasing down fugitives? Oh, please, pretty please. Cos it looks like we got us some lawbreakers in this town!

  5. Anonymous says:

    The courts are part of the problem,I had two tickets presented them at the courts office to pay and they only had record of one,so they could not collect for a ticket that they have no record of.
    I called to double check later on that week ,still no record,then later on that month a policeman approach me and said he had a warrant to arrest me for failing to pay a fine,thank god he was nice enought after I explained what had happen,he told me try to get it sorted.
    I had to go in front of judge explain my self again,paid the fine, I was glad the fiasco was over,so I thought,another police again warrant for arrest failing to pay fine failing to apear in court,what great system we have.

  6. Allar says:

    Thanks RCIPS. Now please see what you can do with illegal firearms. Again thanks for all you do.

  7. Anonymous says:

    This is a function that could easily be taken away from the Police and a Warrant Enforcement Officer or two could be appointed to do the job. It would make the whole thing more effective and efficient rather than using the current “hide and go seek” system that is in being.
    A better use of Police time and the cost, rather than from the Police budget, would be met buy the increase in collections.
    Or does this just sound too simple?
    Just a thought.

    • Diogenes says:

      The problem is presumably the power of arrest. These are people who have already ignored a summons, and strictly speaking they should be arrested and brought before the court to either pay their fines or be sentenced. Giving that power to non policemen is an issue. If people actually were arrested rather than given yet another chance, the fines increased for non payment and the costs of arrest, and perhaps imprisonment, people would take the first fine or sponsors more seriously and there wouldn’t be 120 of these a month.

      • Chocolate milk... says:

        So detain them and take them to court. Don’t arrest them only to bail them an hour later and continue the cycle. Jeez you would think this sort of thing wouldn’t be such a huge issue. But it is because no one respects the cops so how can they respect the courts?

  8. anonymus says:

    Focusing on police patrol in hot spots to deter real criminal activity would be appreciated as well. We need a strong police presence on the roads.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Doesn’t this leave about 1,000 outstanding warrants to go?.

    • Anonymous says:

      I hope that there new fine includes a hefty allowance for having the extra police effort of tracking them down to now appear. Why should we taxpayers have to foot the bill for extra court and police time. Has anyone done the cost analysis of how much of our tax dollars is being wasted because of these lazy offenders just not feeling like attending there original court date. Maybe the North Side MLA could help with this exercise!

  10. Anonymous says:

    Doesn’t ignoring court appearances indicate a total disrespect for the judicial system in the country?

  11. Anonymous says:

    Good job. Can we please also arrest police officers who fail to attend court when summonsed to do so?

  12. Anonymous says:

    Ignore tickets & fines, fail to appear for court; this really is a complete disregard for the legal process and a break down in social order by these people. To start with if anyone who chooses this route is here on a work permit they need to be fined and immediately deported. Next if the violator is a Caymanian then they should be made to minimum serve some public service (cleaning streets & public buildings) and have there name publicized to shame them. The rampant disregard for rules, law & order is reflective of how our society is breaking down. Look at the unlicensed motor bikes, financial crimes at banks & businesses, abuses of the work permit system and freelancing workers, employers not paying health insurance & pensions then getting slapped on the wrist, unlicensed vehicles along with no insurance, human trafficking, gang violence, school behavioral issues. The list goes on and on seeming to get longer each day. It is time to take the gloves off and deal with these criminals with a iron hand. If not the law abiding society is doomed.

    • Chocolate milk... says:

      That’s a little harsh…

      • Anonymous says:

        Why is it too harsh chocolate milk? You afraid of you or your pals getting nabbed? Just follow the laws and rules and you will not have any problem.

        • Anonymous says:

          I am a law abiding citizen so I don’t actually have anything to fear, but I do agree with Chocolate Milk that deporting someone for a traffic ticket might be a bit harsh. I do like the idea of community service though!

          • Diogenes says:

            They wouldn’t be getting deported for the traffic offences. They would be deported for failing to pay the fine or attend court when summoned. If you don’t respect the law perhaps you shouldn’t benefit from living here.

          • Anonymous says:

            I think the comment isn’t that someone gets deported for a traffic ticket, but that failure to follow the proper process after receiving the ticket indicates a disregard for the law and should be penalised. If I am wrong then this does seem harsh…

          • Anonymous says:

            Other countries do it. Not just for not paying the fine. But for the traffic offense in itself.

        • Chocolate milk... says:

          It’s too harsh because quite often people completely forget when they have to pay a ticket, they should increase the fine and make them pay late fees, rather than arresting people. It’s just a little outdated to take that route. And no not afraid of getting nabbed silly, I don’t live in Cayman I’m from a place where the police are more organized and our courts aren’t clogged with petty ‘ganja’ cases. We all break laws, when we j walk, when our car goes over the speed limit, etc.

          • Anonymous says:

            Well thank goodness you do not live here in Cayman chocolate milk and please stay in your paradise. You sure seem like a old spoiled curdled milk to me! I guess you forget to pay your obligations as well.

  13. Anonymous says:

    If you could just go to the police station, park your car and pay a ticket, it would be fine and done in 10 minutes.
    Now you have to go to the court house, impossible to park your car, spend the whole day waiting to be called, wait again to pay the ticket.
    That is ridiculous.

    • Diogenes says:

      Well if you hadn’t committed the offence in the first place….your beef is you broke the law, and paying for that is inconvenient?

      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed. What is it with these bozos that they can’t get it through their doped up heads that if you break the law there are consequences. If you were not to show up and pay your fine in the USA then the judge will issue a bench warrant and then your ass is grass and the judge is the lawn mower. I am sure this also is the process in the UK and Canada. Of course these nirvana lands where dip birds like the chocolate milk live just let it slide are made for those types but for me I prefer law & order. Make Cayman Great Again!

  14. Anonymous says:

    They should put red flag on vehicle before they renewal their stickers and pay any fines….It will be cheaper and quicker than go to courts

    • Anonymous says:

      Perhaps if this is the habit which one chooses then they should no longer be allowed to have a drivers license. Guess this is to much though for our politicians to come out against because it may cost them a few votes.

    • Jotnar says:

      If they ignore tickets and fines – some of which are for already failing to have their vehicle licensed -what makes you think they will turn up to renew their sticker anyway?

      People who blatantly ignore the law should not have the benefits of society. Their names should be on a black list – unpaid fines and outstanding warrants, then no NAU cash or vouchers and suspended on the electoral register until they surrender to court and either pay their fine or take a penalty like the cleaning service 7:27 suggests in lieu. Bad enough they just ignore the laws that hold society together, worse that we subsidise them to do so. When they serve these warrants they shouldn’t just take them down to the station to book them and release them, they should be held in custody until the next available court hearing and sentencing. “huge inconvenience and embarrassment” my eye – people who first of break the law, then don’t bother turning up to court or paying a fine don’t deserve the RCIPS concern about being embarrassed – they deserve punishment.

      • Anonymous says:

        That is very well put and I could not agree more. This needs to be put to an end or we are going to be a true banana republic!

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