Northland undercover police in unmarked cars are likely to be the next weapons in a police war against drunk rural drivers.
Officers in unmarked cars are to target rural drivers in a bid to reduce the number of deaths on rural roads.
The strategy was revealed at a meeting between Northland traffic
police and consultant and former Chief Inspector Mike Moloney of the traffic alcohol section of the Victoria police, based in Melbourne.
Mr Moloney reviewed the performance of Northland region's compulsory breath testing (CBT) squad since it was introduced in May last year.
On the whole the squad had reduced the number of people drink-driving.
However, more attention was needed with rural drink-drivers and the best way to reduce the numbers was to use plain clothed officers in unmarked cars.
A booze bus should be focused on urban areas where it was more effective, he said.
Senior Sergeant Alastair Ward, of the highway patrol and in charge of the CBT, said teams of Auckland officers in unmarked police cars had been operating in Northland since the launch of the CBT as there were not enough plain cars in Northland to do such work.
- NZPA
