Aren't Gatsos great?
Discussion
From The Sunday Times. Something we all know but maybe the message is getting out that 'Robocop' is a crap Cop but a good tax collector. 
, , & more
Police: What Gatsos don't see
Offences are soaring as patrols dwindle, report Tom Robbins and James Foxall
Reckless and careless drivers are getting away with their offences because
of an over-reliance on speed cameras, traffic police are warning. They say
that chief constables are allowing numbers of traffic officers to fall while
speed cameras maintain the overall number of prosecutions.
As a result traditional spot checks on driving standards and the
roadworthiness of vehicles are being abandoned. Safety campaigners warn that
reckless drivers now expect to "get away with it" and respect for the laws
of the road is being eroded.
Newly released Home Office statistics reveal the number of motoring offences
dealt with by police is falling in almost every category except speeding.
The number of careless drivers caught by police in England and Wales has
fallen from 180,500 in 1981 to 91,700 in 2001 - a 50% reduction. The number
of drivers caught with defective or illegal lights, or excessively noisy
cars, fell from 227,700 in 1981 to 45,600 in 2001, a fall of 80%.
Over the same period the number of speeding tickets has risen by 300% - from
343,000 in 1981 to 1.4m in 2001. For the first time more than 1m, or 72%, of
all speeding offences were the result of drivers being caught by cameras.
Some police chiefs have said they expect the number of fines to top 3m by
2004.
"Speed cameras are a very important weapon in trying to improve the way that
people drive, but they can't cover everywhere and more importantly they don'
t do the things which we used to do as old-time traffic cops: actually
arrest people for bad driving," says Chief Superintendent Mike McAndrew, the
former head of traffic for the Metropolitan police and a spokesman for the
Superintendents' Association.
"That's why careless, dangerous and reckless prosecutions have gone down.
Cops don't have the time to deal with them any more, but that is what causes
collisions and so we ought to be tackling it."
Numbers of traffic officers are not collected by the Home Office, but a
study by the RAC Foundation discovered that in the 1980s about 15% of the
national police force was deployed on traffic duties, compared with only
5-6% today.
Many forces have disbanded their separate traffic departments, merging them
instead with other policing units. The result is fewer officers are
specialising in traffic offences, and policing of the roads is carried out
as one task among many.
Assuming there has not been a massive improvement in driving standards over
the past decade, the statistics suggest far less of a watchful eye is being
kept on the roads. Between 1991 and 2001 the number of drivers dealt with by
police for ignoring road signs, traffic lights, or failing to give right of
way to pedestrians fell by 30%, even though cameras at traffic lights caught
63,000 drivers. The number of dangerous drivers dealt with by police fell by
21%, while prosecutions for overloading fell 64%. The number of people hurt
in accidents rose slightly over the same period, from 311,000 to 313,000.
Campaigners point to the large numbers of illegal customised numberplates
and lights that are paraded on city streets without provoking any police
action. There is also a sense of generally worsening driving standards, with
more motorists prepared to ignore bus lanes, zebra crossings and so on. The
Institute of Advanced Motorists has warned that the law-abiding driver only
needs to see others getting away with it a few times before deciding he
might as well join them.
"There is a sense of falling morale, and that technology in all its forms is
replacing the role of the traffic officer," says one policeman. "We have a
commitment to police the motorways but on other roads we don't have an
obligation to maintain a level of service, as long as there is someone
available to deal with a serious accident. The job is becoming more reactive
that preventative."
Road safety campaigners argue that policing of the roads has fallen down the
agenda of chief constables as they allocate resources in favour of more
politically sensitive areas in which strict targets have been set. Last year
the Metropolitan police openly diverted resources away from traffic policing
to its anti-street-crime initiative as part of Tony Blair's crusade to cut
robbery.
"It's despicable that because it's not seen as a political priority it's not
given the support that it needs," says Mary Williams, chief executive of
Brake, the road safety charity, which is about to launch a national survey
of the number of traffic officers remaining. "Death on the road is always a
second-class citizen when it comes to resources but it kills far more than
other crimes, and five times as many as murder."
Experts are also concerned that a perceived withdrawal of police from the
roads and the reduction in the number of roadside check-ups is encouraging
the growth of the "motoring underclass" - that is, drivers without
insurance, MoTs or even licences. A recent study suggested that as many as
1m people drive without the proper permits.
"They know that as long as they avoid the cameras, so they don't make
themselves obvious, the likelihood of them getting away with it is much
greater than previously," says Edmund King, executive director of the RAC
Foundation. "We believe there is a definite correlation between the increase
in speed cameras and the decrease in traffic police."
King also points to research from the Home Office and the Transport Research
Laboratory showing that criminals are more likely to commit driving offences
than law-abiding citizens. The argument follows that traffic police stopping
someone for erratic driving or defective lights for example might then
discover the proceeds of a robbery, or that the driver is wanted in
connection with a serious, non-motoring crime.
"A speed camera can give out thousands of tickets a year, but it can't catch
burglars, rapists and murderers, or even dangerous drivers, drunk-drivers
and so on," says King.
POLICING BY CAMERA? OFFENCE TOTALS
In order of: Offences description; year 1991; year 2001; %change
Dangerous Driving 12,200; 9,600; -21%
Careless Driving 128,800; 91,700; -29%
Lighting and noise offences 88,100; 45,600; -48%
Overloading 44,100; 15,800; -64%
Vehicle condition offences 624,700; 96,200; -21%
Failing to stop or report an accident 53,900; 30,400; -44%
Ignoring traffic signs and pedestrian crossings 320,700; 224,900; -30%
Speeding 637,000; 1,400,700; +120%
Source: Home Office. Figures relate to offences formally dealt with by
police in England and Wales
, , & more Police: What Gatsos don't see
Offences are soaring as patrols dwindle, report Tom Robbins and James Foxall
Reckless and careless drivers are getting away with their offences because
of an over-reliance on speed cameras, traffic police are warning. They say
that chief constables are allowing numbers of traffic officers to fall while
speed cameras maintain the overall number of prosecutions.
As a result traditional spot checks on driving standards and the
roadworthiness of vehicles are being abandoned. Safety campaigners warn that
reckless drivers now expect to "get away with it" and respect for the laws
of the road is being eroded.
Newly released Home Office statistics reveal the number of motoring offences
dealt with by police is falling in almost every category except speeding.
The number of careless drivers caught by police in England and Wales has
fallen from 180,500 in 1981 to 91,700 in 2001 - a 50% reduction. The number
of drivers caught with defective or illegal lights, or excessively noisy
cars, fell from 227,700 in 1981 to 45,600 in 2001, a fall of 80%.
Over the same period the number of speeding tickets has risen by 300% - from
343,000 in 1981 to 1.4m in 2001. For the first time more than 1m, or 72%, of
all speeding offences were the result of drivers being caught by cameras.
Some police chiefs have said they expect the number of fines to top 3m by
2004.
"Speed cameras are a very important weapon in trying to improve the way that
people drive, but they can't cover everywhere and more importantly they don'
t do the things which we used to do as old-time traffic cops: actually
arrest people for bad driving," says Chief Superintendent Mike McAndrew, the
former head of traffic for the Metropolitan police and a spokesman for the
Superintendents' Association.
"That's why careless, dangerous and reckless prosecutions have gone down.
Cops don't have the time to deal with them any more, but that is what causes
collisions and so we ought to be tackling it."
Numbers of traffic officers are not collected by the Home Office, but a
study by the RAC Foundation discovered that in the 1980s about 15% of the
national police force was deployed on traffic duties, compared with only
5-6% today.
Many forces have disbanded their separate traffic departments, merging them
instead with other policing units. The result is fewer officers are
specialising in traffic offences, and policing of the roads is carried out
as one task among many.
Assuming there has not been a massive improvement in driving standards over
the past decade, the statistics suggest far less of a watchful eye is being
kept on the roads. Between 1991 and 2001 the number of drivers dealt with by
police for ignoring road signs, traffic lights, or failing to give right of
way to pedestrians fell by 30%, even though cameras at traffic lights caught
63,000 drivers. The number of dangerous drivers dealt with by police fell by
21%, while prosecutions for overloading fell 64%. The number of people hurt
in accidents rose slightly over the same period, from 311,000 to 313,000.
Campaigners point to the large numbers of illegal customised numberplates
and lights that are paraded on city streets without provoking any police
action. There is also a sense of generally worsening driving standards, with
more motorists prepared to ignore bus lanes, zebra crossings and so on. The
Institute of Advanced Motorists has warned that the law-abiding driver only
needs to see others getting away with it a few times before deciding he
might as well join them.
"There is a sense of falling morale, and that technology in all its forms is
replacing the role of the traffic officer," says one policeman. "We have a
commitment to police the motorways but on other roads we don't have an
obligation to maintain a level of service, as long as there is someone
available to deal with a serious accident. The job is becoming more reactive
that preventative."
Road safety campaigners argue that policing of the roads has fallen down the
agenda of chief constables as they allocate resources in favour of more
politically sensitive areas in which strict targets have been set. Last year
the Metropolitan police openly diverted resources away from traffic policing
to its anti-street-crime initiative as part of Tony Blair's crusade to cut
robbery.
"It's despicable that because it's not seen as a political priority it's not
given the support that it needs," says Mary Williams, chief executive of
Brake, the road safety charity, which is about to launch a national survey
of the number of traffic officers remaining. "Death on the road is always a
second-class citizen when it comes to resources but it kills far more than
other crimes, and five times as many as murder."
Experts are also concerned that a perceived withdrawal of police from the
roads and the reduction in the number of roadside check-ups is encouraging
the growth of the "motoring underclass" - that is, drivers without
insurance, MoTs or even licences. A recent study suggested that as many as
1m people drive without the proper permits.
"They know that as long as they avoid the cameras, so they don't make
themselves obvious, the likelihood of them getting away with it is much
greater than previously," says Edmund King, executive director of the RAC
Foundation. "We believe there is a definite correlation between the increase
in speed cameras and the decrease in traffic police."
King also points to research from the Home Office and the Transport Research
Laboratory showing that criminals are more likely to commit driving offences
than law-abiding citizens. The argument follows that traffic police stopping
someone for erratic driving or defective lights for example might then
discover the proceeds of a robbery, or that the driver is wanted in
connection with a serious, non-motoring crime.
"A speed camera can give out thousands of tickets a year, but it can't catch
burglars, rapists and murderers, or even dangerous drivers, drunk-drivers
and so on," says King.
POLICING BY CAMERA? OFFENCE TOTALS
In order of: Offences description; year 1991; year 2001; %change
Dangerous Driving 12,200; 9,600; -21%
Careless Driving 128,800; 91,700; -29%
Lighting and noise offences 88,100; 45,600; -48%
Overloading 44,100; 15,800; -64%
Vehicle condition offences 624,700; 96,200; -21%
Failing to stop or report an accident 53,900; 30,400; -44%
Ignoring traffic signs and pedestrian crossings 320,700; 224,900; -30%
Speeding 637,000; 1,400,700; +120%
Source: Home Office. Figures relate to offences formally dealt with by
police in England and Wales
I raised something similar on stats a little while ago concerning council tax.
There was 1 police officer for every 700 members of the public in the seventies, and they did the beat to as a preventative measure. Local burlaries, muggings etc low.
There is now 1 police officer for every 350 members of the public, but you never see them on the beat, as they all drive around in cars. Local Burglaries, muggings up.
Thus making the preventative action redundant.
Soon they will be so reliant on technology that you will be able to get away with anything as long as you wear a hat when you go out or drive.
This is not to have a pop at the police but the powers that be that see ways to scrimp on actual police work.
Soon this place will be like America, where unless you pay to live on an estate with guards and security cameras, you will be the victim of crime on an aunnual basis.
Within the next 5 years I am moving to somewhere with family values and a low tolerance of crime! (No Suggestions please)!!!!!!!
There was 1 police officer for every 700 members of the public in the seventies, and they did the beat to as a preventative measure. Local burlaries, muggings etc low.
There is now 1 police officer for every 350 members of the public, but you never see them on the beat, as they all drive around in cars. Local Burglaries, muggings up.
Thus making the preventative action redundant.
Soon they will be so reliant on technology that you will be able to get away with anything as long as you wear a hat when you go out or drive.
This is not to have a pop at the police but the powers that be that see ways to scrimp on actual police work.
Soon this place will be like America, where unless you pay to live on an estate with guards and security cameras, you will be the victim of crime on an aunnual basis.
Within the next 5 years I am moving to somewhere with family values and a low tolerance of crime! (No Suggestions please)!!!!!!!
, since it was wacked so hard it got pushed back about 30 degrees. 
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff