59 Police Speeders off the hook
Discussion
From the BBC today...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/4586157.stm
Another PR success in the making.... A record 100% not guilty!!!!
[quote]
A police force has let off 59 of its own drivers caught speeding.
The marked vehicles - which were not attending to emergencies - were caught by mobile cameras in Derbys in 2004.
Police bosses decided to scrap the tickets even though in at least 14 of the cases no blue flashing lights were detected by the cameras.
Safety groups have criticised the decision to tear up the tickets, with the charity Brake saying the decision "smacked of double standards."
The drivers were sent notices of intended prosecution in 2004 after they were photographed speeding.
The officers' own divisional commanders and the force's head of criminal justice department examined the incidents the cars were attending and decided none of them should be prosecuted.
Supt Royston Smith, head of Derbyshire Police's criminal justice section said: "Every case is thoroughly examined and in all these 59 instances it has been accepted the vehicle was being used for operational policing purposes in circumstances where it was necessary for the speed limit to be exceeded in the course of their duties.
"It's recognised at times there is a requirement for officers to drive at excessive speeds to provide a timely response to emergency situations to protect the public."
Mr Smith said that in at least 14 of the 59 incidents, flashing lights used by the vehicles in question had not been picked up by the camera, and it has since been satisfied they were displaying their blue lights.
The force has recently carried out a review of driving standards and has introduced new assessment procedures.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at Rospa said: "At the very least they should have been using emergency lights and sirens."
[/quote]
>> Edited by pallison on Friday 27th May 12:10
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/4586157.stm
Another PR success in the making.... A record 100% not guilty!!!!
[quote]
A police force has let off 59 of its own drivers caught speeding.
The marked vehicles - which were not attending to emergencies - were caught by mobile cameras in Derbys in 2004.
Police bosses decided to scrap the tickets even though in at least 14 of the cases no blue flashing lights were detected by the cameras.
Safety groups have criticised the decision to tear up the tickets, with the charity Brake saying the decision "smacked of double standards."
The drivers were sent notices of intended prosecution in 2004 after they were photographed speeding.
The officers' own divisional commanders and the force's head of criminal justice department examined the incidents the cars were attending and decided none of them should be prosecuted.
Supt Royston Smith, head of Derbyshire Police's criminal justice section said: "Every case is thoroughly examined and in all these 59 instances it has been accepted the vehicle was being used for operational policing purposes in circumstances where it was necessary for the speed limit to be exceeded in the course of their duties.
"It's recognised at times there is a requirement for officers to drive at excessive speeds to provide a timely response to emergency situations to protect the public."
Mr Smith said that in at least 14 of the 59 incidents, flashing lights used by the vehicles in question had not been picked up by the camera, and it has since been satisfied they were displaying their blue lights.
The force has recently carried out a review of driving standards and has introduced new assessment procedures.
Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at Rospa said: "At the very least they should have been using emergency lights and sirens."
[/quote]
>> Edited by pallison on Friday 27th May 12:10
Oops - just found a local link on the same story in the SP&L section...
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=181934&f=10&h=0
>> Edited by pallison on Friday 27th May 12:34
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=181934&f=10&h=0
>> Edited by pallison on Friday 27th May 12:34
Like when I was caught a short while ago (3 points). (Oh I was a bit of a doughnut)
One the motorway, marked car doing 90-95, I was following from a long way back. He had no lights on, and measured me between two fixed points. Did me for doing 90mph.
He was using which every lane he wanted to ensure he could see me and did not indicate once.
Webby
>> Edited by tvrman on Friday 27th May 13:58
One the motorway, marked car doing 90-95, I was following from a long way back. He had no lights on, and measured me between two fixed points. Did me for doing 90mph.
He was using which every lane he wanted to ensure he could see me and did not indicate once.
Webby
>> Edited by tvrman on Friday 27th May 13:58
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