Speed Zero Tolerance is Policing by Numbers

new-zealand-first-party

Wed Jan 07 2015 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Speed Zero Tolerance is Policing by Numbers

Wednesday, 7 January 2015, 2:03 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

With the massive increase in 2014/15 summer holiday road toll, New Zealand First is not only concerned the Police Minister is missing in action, but we believe the time has come to separate traffic enforcement from general policing.

“Someone needs to be held accountable because ‘zero tolerance’ was the centrepiece to this summer’s holiday road safety plan but it has failed and failed very badly,” says New Zealand First’s Police spokesperson Ron Mark.

“It staggeringly reveals one arm of government doesn’t know what the other is up to.

“In late November Transport Minister Simon Bridges was reportedly open to raising the speed limit to 110 km/h on suitable roads but two days later the police and the Police Minister said that speed was criminal with the launch of zero tolerance.

“That’s why the response from a senior police commander to our legitimate concerns about zero tolerance shows galling pig-headedness.

“There’s no evidence to show that zero tolerance has saved any lives, but there is ample evidence on the emails and posts I have received to show that it not only made driving stressful but more dangerous too.

“This is why it is New Zealand First policy to separate transport policing from general policing.

“Police have told me they want to be out there catching crooks instead of Kiwis on passing lanes.

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“I am also getting reports from people whose homes have been burgled but after 10 days the police have still not been around to dust for fingerprints. What’s the bet some of these burglary victims will get a camera infringement in the post.

“New Zealand First has always supported the police and when we were in government we won a thousand extra frontline staff and extra funding for vital equipment.

“This ought to be a discussion about tactics that work and don’t work. Zero tolerance is nothing more than policing by numbers and if that’s the case, then we need to go back to separate agencies.

“Police priorities are completely wrong and they and the Police Minister and the National government need to be told that,” says Mr Mark.

ENDS

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