A massive jump in drivers fleeing police across the Bay of Plenty makes for “chilling reading” and a major change in attitude is needed by offenders who “think it’s cool or a game until blood is spilt”.
That’s the view of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Police Association regional director Scott Thompson as new figures show the number of fleeing drivers increased from 521 in 2021 to 902 last year - a rise of about 73 per cent.
Thompson is calling for a significant change in attitudes to this type of risky and dangerous behaviour because fleeing drivers are probably among the “three most dangerous” situations they regularly face.
He said police feared being involved in any incident where someone was injured or killed.
Among the 902 fleeing drivers in the Bay of Plenty police district last year, 222 were in the Rotorua area. This compared with 165 in 2021 and 216 in 2020.
The figures included one driver in Rotorua in July 2022 who crossed the centre line and slammed into a car with a Rotorua mother and her three children inside. The mother told the Rotorua Daily Post at the time she believed they could have been killed.
The driver rammed another vehicle twice before yelling abuse, fleeing police and punching a police sergeant in the head.
Another 119 drivers fled police in Eastern Bay of Plenty last year and there were 243 in Taupō, which was almost double the tally in 2020.
Nineteen people were seriously injured in Rotorua and five in Eastern Bay of Plenty as a result of fleeing driver incidents between 2010 and October 2021 and there were two deaths in Rotorua and one in Eastern Bay of Plenty during that same period.
Police confirmed serious injury crash data was not yet available post-October 2021.
In the past two years, 148 drivers in Rotorua, 93 in Eastern Bay of Plenty and 202 in Taupō were prosecuted for failing to stop for police.
In November 2022, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster announced there would be a refresh to the police’s Fleeing Driver Pursuit Policy and a Fleeing Driver Framework would be introduced, with those changes implemented in the first half of 2023.
Coster said the fleeing driver framework was to provide clarity for staff on when a pursuit may be justified, including the weight given to the threat of further harm if the offender or offenders were not apprehended immediately.
“The changes provide police with a more balanced position, that aims to hold people to account for their actions while still prioritising the safety of officers, the fleeing driver and other occupants, and the public,” he said.
On April 4, the Criminal Activity Intervention Legislation Act came into force which includes giving police a range of new enforcement tools and other chargeable offences when dealing with dangerous and reckless driving on our roads.
Police can now seize and impound vehicles for 28 days when they have reasonable grounds to believe a vehicle was used to drive dangerously or recklessly or was driven with aggravated carelessness causing injury or death to someone.
The Government also planned to change the Sentencing Act to increase the disqualification period for drivers who clock up their second failing-to-stop offence from 12 months to two years and their vehicles could also be permanently forfeited and sold.
The owner of a fleeing vehicle could have their vehicle impounded for 28 days if they do not help police locate the offending driver.
Rotorua area crime prevention manager Inspector Phillip Gillbanks urged all drivers signalled by police to stop to do just that.
“The risk to yourself and everybody else isn’t worth it. Unfortunately, we see too many drivers and riders failing to stop and gambling with their lives by fleeing. At the speeds that are involved, it would be a disaster in a crash.
“Our advice to people who see a driver fleeing police or motorist acting suspiciously is to please let us know, especially if you happen to capture photos and videos or hold other information that could help us. Call 111 if it’s happening now, or 105 after the fact.
“You can also report information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Details that may seem insignificant could actually be the piece of the puzzle we need to solve the case, but please never put yourself in danger to get footage or by attempting to intervene.”
Scott Thompson, of the Police Association, also said the “fleeing driver” problem was at best “complex”.
“The latest statistics make for chilling reading. Tougher penalties hopefully will make those that choose not to stop to consider the risks they are taking, but it will not be until the new legislation has been in force for some time that the true value can be measured.”
Fleeing drivers, family violence and dealing with mentally affected persons were probably the three “most dangerous” situations” police faced.
He said the public wanted the police to catch fleeing drivers and hold them accountable but also don’t want anyone hurt in that process.
“Currently some offenders think it’s cool or a game until blood is split and then invariably it is our members that are not only blamed [for the actions of an offender] but they also have to clean up the mess left behind.”
Thompson believed it would take a significant shift in attitude before there would be a marked decrease in those who choose to flee the police.
Stacey Spall, the Automobile Association Bay of Plenty District Council’s chairwoman said the increase in fleeing drivers was of “huge concern”.
Spall said the Bay of Plenty AA appreciated the current police pursuit policy was designed to minimise risk to the public and other drivers, but it was clear from these statistics the approach was not working.
“We very much support the efforts of our local police recently to tackle many road policing issues, including increased visibility, breath screening and traditional traffic stops. But, Bay of Plenty AA would also support more scope for our experienced road policing staff to make decisions to pursue fleeing drivers where they felt the risk was appropriate.
“The challenges of identifying, apprehending and sentencing these drivers clearly means fleeing can be considered the easy option for drivers acting, often, in incredibly risky manners.”
Road safety charity Brake New Zealand’s director Caroline Perry also urged drivers to think twice about their actions.
“We urge all drivers not to flee police - your actions could result in you or someone else dying or suffering life-changing injuries.
“We hope that the new police enforcement tools will have an impact on deterring some drivers from fleeing and will help to take dangerous drivers off the road when caught.
Defence counsel says Mark Hohua died after falling on to concrete steps while fleeing.