Cops can no longer hide to catch speeders

11.00am

Police officers can no longer hide in bushes or camouflage themselves in order to catch speeding drivers.

Police bosses have issued a tough new speed enforcement guide banning the practices. It brings together in one document all rules and guidelines for targeting speedsters.

Previously there were no rules on covert speed operations.

The move follows the adoption of new laws on the deployment of mobile speed cameras, an increase in the number of speeding fines issued and a spate of negative publicity on the lengths police were going to catch speedsters, including photographs of officers tucked behind trees or bushes with hand-held radars.

National road safety manager Superintendent Steve Fitzgerald said bad publicity was not the sole reason for the new guidelines, but had been a consideration.

"I don't think you can ignore that, can you. It does cause a flurry from time to time."

A key point in the new guidelines is that police vehicles or officers' uniforms may not be hidden.

"All speed-measuring devices are to be employed in an overt manner. No form of hidden or camouflaged deployment is to be used," it states. The only exception is unmarked police vehicles used for speed enforcement.

It was reported in April that a fleet of 14 unmarked police cars targeting dangerous drivers was being rotated around the country.

The guidelines also spell out how discretion should be applied. Other than in exceptional circumstances, anyone driving 11km/h over the limit, or 6km/h in heavy vehicles, will be ticketed.

Drivers not exceeding these limits should not be ticketed unless their speed poses a risk to public safety.

Police figures show 487,353 fixed and mobile speed camera tickets were issued in the year to June 30, 466,374 the year before and 422,786 in 2002.

Annual revenue from speed camera fines jumped from $3,239,070 in March 2002 to $3,630,120 last year and $4,207,440 this year.

National MP Tony Ryall said the move was a victory for motorists.

"We have been calling for an end to this practice for more than a year," he said in a statement.

"As we have consistently said, having a visible police presence on the roads will have a much greater impact on road safety than having officers crawling around hiding under bushes."

- NZPA