WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao Police Force still does not have a dedicated application to systematically collect and analyze traffic enforcement data, eight years after the measure was recommended as part of efforts to improve road safety.
The finding is among the shortcomings identified by the Council for Law Enforcement in its follow-up assessment of recommendations originally issued in 2017.
The absence of the application means Curaçao has yet to fully establish the information-driven approach envisioned by the Council. Development of the system remains only in the design phase.
The problem extends beyond technology. According to the review, the results of traffic controls are not systematically evaluated and formal performance indicators have not been incorporated into police annual plans.
This makes it difficult to measure whether enforcement operations against speeding, drunk driving, running red lights and failure to use seat belts are actually producing the desired results.
The Council also found that traffic enforcement targeting these priority violations has not been structurally embedded within KPC operations. Guidelines governing such controls have not been communicated throughout the organization.
Training is another unresolved issue. Recommendations calling for specialized traffic courses and mechanisms to keep officers informed about international developments have not been fully implemented. KPC is working on training programs and a digital knowledge library, but further implementation is dependent on available resources.
There has nevertheless been progress in some areas. Police now have equipment for alcohol checks, while the available speed-measuring device is calibrated on time. However, advanced equipment that can help investigators calculate a vehicle’s speed from braking evidence following an accident is still unavailable.
The government has also approved the road-safety education program “Na kaminda: Een plan van aanpak verkeersveiligheidseducatie op Curaçao 2024-2030.” The program covers road-safety education in schools, driver training, education for traffic offenders and programs for professional drivers.
Another continuing weakness is coordination between government agencies. Cooperation between Justice, VVRP and other organizations involved in road safety remains largely incidental rather than structural.
There is still no permanent interministerial steering group dedicated to traffic safety, even though the issue extends beyond police enforcement. Road design, infrastructure, spatial planning, education and prevention all influence the number and severity of accidents.
Of the 20 recommendations issued by the Council in 2017, only nine have been fully implemented, ten remain outstanding and one has been partially completed.
The Council is therefore calling for more structural cooperation and faster implementation, warning that effective traffic policy requires not only more controls but also measurable objectives, modern legislation, reliable data, proper training and regular evaluation of results.