Gov’t to investigate altercation between traffic officer, MP

AMMAN — Prime Minister Omar Razzaz on Wednesday said that the government is going to open an investigation into an altercation between a traffic officer and an MP which happened on Monday.

The premier made his remarks during Wednesday's Lower House session, in response to objections by MP Abdullah Qaramseh over the Public Security Department's (PSD) decision to award a traffic officer who allegedly insulted him in Amman.

A video recently went viral on social media, showing a traffic officer shouting at a man in a vehicle and telling him that “even if you are a deputy you should talk with respect [to me]”. 

The following day, the PSD issued a statement on the Traffic Department Facebook page, saying it decided to honour the traffic officer “for performing his duties in the most professional and just manner and without favouritism or being courteous”.

Qaramseh charged that he was stuck in traffic and “was just criticising the traffic jam and was in no way being disrespectful to the police officer in question”.

However, the majority of the public hailed the step of honouring the police officer by the PSD, describing it as "just and well-deserved".

Mohammad Masadeh wrote: “Much respect for any decision-maker who takes the right decision and much respect to the police officer,” while Majdi Rfou wrote “[the police officer] deserves this recognition because no one is above the law”.

For his part, Razzaz stressed the government’s “utmost respect and appreciation for all the deputies”.