Should traffic offences be taken away from the pol
05-02-2006, 12:00 AM
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Should traffic offences be taken away from the pol
Should traffic offences and the "policing" of our roads be taken away from the police and run by a specialist force?
It seems a waste of a police officers training to concentrate just on traffic.
With the lack of care I see everyday out driving it leads me to think the police are not the best people to do this job. It needs t obe more of a specialist job.
Maybe some of the "minor" traffic infringements could be taken away?
One drawback might be over zealousness of their new forces powers? But that can always be curtailed IMO.
Thoughts?
It seems a waste of a police officers training to concentrate just on traffic.
With the lack of care I see everyday out driving it leads me to think the police are not the best people to do this job. It needs t obe more of a specialist job.
Maybe some of the "minor" traffic infringements could be taken away?
One drawback might be over zealousness of their new forces powers? But that can always be curtailed IMO.
Thoughts?
05-02-2006, 12:22 AM
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I thought "traffic police" were meant to be specialist towards traffic law. Unfortunately, the numbers of these have decreased, and the driving standards have worsened.
05-02-2006, 12:25 AM
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Originally Posted by SiDHEaD,May 2 2006, 09:22 AM
1.I thought "traffic police" were meant to be specialist towards traffic law.
2.Unfortunately, the numbers of these have decreased, and the driving standards have worsened.
2.Unfortunately, the numbers of these have decreased, and the driving standards have worsened.
2.
Comes down to funding I guess. You are paying a policemans salary and contingent benefits for a lesser job? Could it not be done cheaper?
05-02-2006, 01:29 AM
#4
Don't get rid of Traffic Police .... I'll loose my job 
Do you really want the equivalent of local authority wardens dealing with traffic offences ?
An ongoing example of what you would get is the large number of speed cameras springing up which is, I am told, the result of local authorities and in London TfL deciding themselves they are needed ..... it is certainly not the result of traffpols saying, yeah, lets put another one up - I can assure you !
Traffic officers do specialise but the numbers are being reduced all the time (Met getting rid of some more this year .... and have got rid of 1/4 of their motorbikes). The pressure to do things other than 'real' traffic stuff - is huge and officers just don't get the chance to do what they want.
I am lucky in that working in Traffic where I am the vast majority are experienced and hard working .... there is effectively a waiting list to try and join traffic in London and there is a good reason for that. No cricket or cards on night duty where I work!
As to driving standards - as far as Traffic goes in the Met alot of pride is taken in driving and people who make mistakes end up getting abuse for a long long time..... even for scratching a bumper, etc. People do have accidents but it's my job to report all police accidents or driving incidents when I am on duty and in over four years of doing it I have yet to go to a traffic car involved in anything serious. Divisional cars, yes - but not traffic cars.
As I say, if you want a local authority person standing there to report you for not wearing a seat belt and driving in a car sponsored by BSM and think that would be better than what you have then go ahead ......... the government love ideas to save loads of money - and no doubt according to them the service would be excellent
Do you really want the equivalent of local authority wardens dealing with traffic offences ?
An ongoing example of what you would get is the large number of speed cameras springing up which is, I am told, the result of local authorities and in London TfL deciding themselves they are needed ..... it is certainly not the result of traffpols saying, yeah, lets put another one up - I can assure you !
Traffic officers do specialise but the numbers are being reduced all the time (Met getting rid of some more this year .... and have got rid of 1/4 of their motorbikes). The pressure to do things other than 'real' traffic stuff - is huge and officers just don't get the chance to do what they want.
I am lucky in that working in Traffic where I am the vast majority are experienced and hard working .... there is effectively a waiting list to try and join traffic in London and there is a good reason for that. No cricket or cards on night duty where I work!
As to driving standards - as far as Traffic goes in the Met alot of pride is taken in driving and people who make mistakes end up getting abuse for a long long time..... even for scratching a bumper, etc. People do have accidents but it's my job to report all police accidents or driving incidents when I am on duty and in over four years of doing it I have yet to go to a traffic car involved in anything serious. Divisional cars, yes - but not traffic cars.
As I say, if you want a local authority person standing there to report you for not wearing a seat belt and driving in a car sponsored by BSM and think that would be better than what you have then go ahead ......... the government love ideas to save loads of money - and no doubt according to them the service would be excellent
05-02-2006, 02:22 AM
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Sorry if my post was a little ambiguous, i meant the general public's driving standards had worsened, probably as a result of less traffic police. It's all good though as the revenue from speed cameras has been brilliant !
05-02-2006, 02:25 AM
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Originally Posted by John57,May 2 2006, 10:29 AM
1. Do you really want the equivalent of local authority wardens dealing with traffic offences ?
2.An ongoing example of what you would get is the large number of speed cameras springing up which is, I am told, the result of local authorities and in London TfL deciding themselves they are needed ..... it is certainly not the result of traffpols saying, yeah, lets put another one up - I can assure you !
3.Traffic officers do specialise but the numbers are being reduced all the time (Met getting rid of some more this year .... and have got rid of 1/4 of their motorbikes). The pressure to do things other than 'real' traffic stuff - is huge and officers just don't get the chance to do what they want.
4. I am lucky in that working in Traffic where I am the vast majority are experienced and hard working .... there is effectively a waiting list to try and join traffic in London and there is a good reason for that. No cricket or cards on night duty where I work!
5.As to driving standards - as far as Traffic goes in the Met alot of pride is taken in driving and people who make mistakes end up getting abuse for a long long time..... even for scratching a bumper, etc. People do have accidents but it's my job to report all police accidents or driving incidents when I am on duty and in over four years of doing it I have yet to go to a traffic car involved in anything serious. Divisional cars, yes - but not traffic cars.
6.As I say, if you want a local authority person standing there to report you for not wearing a seat belt and driving in a car sponsored by BSM and think that would be better than what you have then go ahead ......... the government love ideas to save loads of money - and no doubt according to them the service would be excellent
2.An ongoing example of what you would get is the large number of speed cameras springing up which is, I am told, the result of local authorities and in London TfL deciding themselves they are needed ..... it is certainly not the result of traffpols saying, yeah, lets put another one up - I can assure you !
3.Traffic officers do specialise but the numbers are being reduced all the time (Met getting rid of some more this year .... and have got rid of 1/4 of their motorbikes). The pressure to do things other than 'real' traffic stuff - is huge and officers just don't get the chance to do what they want.
4. I am lucky in that working in Traffic where I am the vast majority are experienced and hard working .... there is effectively a waiting list to try and join traffic in London and there is a good reason for that. No cricket or cards on night duty where I work!
5.As to driving standards - as far as Traffic goes in the Met alot of pride is taken in driving and people who make mistakes end up getting abuse for a long long time..... even for scratching a bumper, etc. People do have accidents but it's my job to report all police accidents or driving incidents when I am on duty and in over four years of doing it I have yet to go to a traffic car involved in anything serious. Divisional cars, yes - but not traffic cars.
6.As I say, if you want a local authority person standing there to report you for not wearing a seat belt and driving in a car sponsored by BSM and think that would be better than what you have then go ahead ......... the government love ideas to save loads of money - and no doubt according to them the service would be excellent
2. Sounds like you are a little cynical
It all depends on what the remit of the specialist job is. If it is self financing then, yes, an outcome could be more cameras. If the remit was to, say, reduce the nuber of KSI's then not nescessarily so.
3. This is one of my reasons for introducing a specialist job. As I have stated above, police officers are (arguably) overpaid and over qualified to to mundane traffic matters.
4. I wouldn't argue that traffic officers are in general hard working. However I think there is a perception that the life of a traffic cop is "easy street" (overpaid/overqualified again kicks in here) hence the long waiting list.
5. My point wasn't really aimed at police driving standards (although I increasing seem to see poor examples of police driving).
6. As above, you have made an assumption about who would run the scheme, and their remit.
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05-02-2006, 03:47 AM
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Yeah yeah................scameras appearing everywhere.........They don't pick up people joy riding, driving without insurance, MOT etc etc etc
Theres no substitiute for traffic cops. No one other than a cop that has had relevant training is gonna pull over cars to discover a knife wielding drug crazed manic in it are they! ?
I would personally like to see more of them on the road but properly trained and not farmed out to local authority or other such muppets!
Edd
Theres no substitiute for traffic cops. No one other than a cop that has had relevant training is gonna pull over cars to discover a knife wielding drug crazed manic in it are they! ?
I would personally like to see more of them on the road but properly trained and not farmed out to local authority or other such muppets!
Edd