Dubai police chief pays Dh3,000 in traffic fines

Dubai’s police commander general Dahi Khalfan Tamim paid Dh3,000 fines for traffic offences committed by his cars in the first half of 2011 within more than 7,000 offences recorded by VIPs in the country, according to police data.

His deputy, major general Khamis Mata Al Muzainah also paid Dh1,600 fines in the same period while a car owned by traffic police acting director, lt colonel Saif Al Mazroui was impounded for jumping the red lights.

The police report, published in the Dubai-based Emirat Alyoum Arabic language daily on Thursday,  showed 7,118 traffic offences were committed by VIPs in the emirate in the first half of 2011 against 8,143 violations in the first half of 2010.

A vehicle registered in the name of a cabinet member also exceeded the 24-blackpoint limit, forcing the unnamed minister to report to the traffic police. It then turned out that all the offences were committed by his driver.

“I am committed to paying all fines registered against my cars like any one else…police men should not be exempted from paying because they ought to be an example for others,” Khalfan said.

He said other persons drive all his cars but added this does not mean he should not pay fines for any traffic offence.

“Some drivers are complaining of the high traffic fines but we should look at the positive aspect of the current traffic law, which has largely reduced accidents as well as serious injuries and deaths because of the stiffer penalties and the blackpoint system it has introduced,” he said.

Muzainah said no one has the right to exceed the speed limit or commit other traffic offences unless this is required by the nature of his job, including ambulances and other emergency police cars.

“As far as my job is concerned, it does not require me to exceed the speed limit because I am not a first aid, rescue or fire man…when I am requested to go to an accident site, this does not require speeding because the job does not involve saving lives…so, I should not be exempted from any traffic penalty.”

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