Operation Safe Arrival: Behind the scenes with the driving force of highway patrol

That’s the driving force behind the latest local police crusade on our roads in the lead-up to Christmas and the holiday break.

Highway patrol officers have pulled out all the stops to drive down the rising road toll and The Leader hit the road with local police as they clock up the kilometres.

Almost 50 highway police cover the Peel Cluster – the region covering the Barwon, New England and Oxley commands – and almost every officer has been on the roads in a bid to keep motorists safe.

Using speed radars, RBTs, random drug tests, number plate recognition and extra patrols, police are calling in overtime to catch those doing the wrong thing behind the wheel.

Already speeding, drug driving and seatbelts and restraints have seen drivers stopped in their tracks by the red and blue flashing lights.

And, it’s all for the same reason.

“We don’t want to lose anyone on the road,” Highway patrol Sergeant Michael Buko told The Leader on a patrol across the New England.

Since January 1, nine people have lost their lives in seven crashes in the Oxley area. It’s almost the same number of lives lost on the Oxley roads in 2015.

In New England, 11 people have been killed on local roads in eight crashes – four more than last year with the busy Christmas rush almost on our doorstep.

Barwon police have been called to four fatalities in three crashes including one double fatal and last week’s tragic pedestrian fatality where an 18-year-old boy was struck and killed whilst walking on the road.

“Especially after you’ve been to the accident scene and witnessed what’s happened,” Sergeant Buko said.

“It’s something that affects the police, and that cop has that with them for the rest of their life as well.”

And for many motorists –  and police alike – the roadways are littered with constant reminders.

“There is a cross wherever you go on the side of the road, it’s one of those sad things,” Sergeant Buko said.

“It doesn’t matter if you go to a back road or highway, you see them everywhere and that is a family that has lost a loved one.”

Senior Sergeant Brett Davies said tiredness has been to blame for a significant number of fatal crashes in the region.

“Tiredness is running at about 50 per cent of all crashes,” he said.

“A lot of it out here is inattention, it’s a big one.”

IN JUST a matter of seconds, police can see who’s behind the wheel, and where a car comes from.

Local officers have the latest technology at their fingertips to catch those breaking the rules, and when The Leader hit the road, it took just 300 metres before an alert sounded for a car that had stolen number plates.

“If you’re wanted for murder in WA or an assault in Queensland, it will come up,” Sergeant Michael Buko said.

“It can tell us what you’ve done, what you’re wanted for and where, and we will turn around and stop you.”

The number plate recognition technology detects every car that a police car passes – whether it’s on the road, or parked nearby.

We left the Tamworth Police Station and headed north, travelling along several East and North Tamworth streets, and eventually out to Moonbi and towards the New England.

There were alerts for warnings of vehicles with suspected disqualified or unlicenced drivers, as well as cars with long lists of traffic offences.

“Our aim is to change people’s perception about highway patrol,” Sergeant Buko said.

“But there is an expectation that people will get tickets when they break the law.”

And more technology at the click of a button means less paperwork and more officers out on the roads.

The Leader was there when highway patrol police nabbed a woman at Black Mountain doing 117 in a 100km per hour zone on the New England Highway on Monday.

She told police she was rushing to an appointment for a family member. 

MobiPols – or hand-held mobile devices – in each patrol car mean officers can tell a driver what the offence and loss of demerit points is, and then quickly type out a ticket and have it emailed or posted.

It takes a matters of minutes and the police are back on the road.

And, they aim to ensure every motorist knows they could be right around the corner.

“People abuse police and say it’s revenue raising,” Sergeant Buko said.

“It’s not about revenue raising, it’s about saving lives, and it’s all about ensuring safety on the roads.”

The red and blue flashing lights have been working on overdrive in the lead-up to Christmas with police detecting drivers doing the wrong thing.

The latest radar machines mean police can detect speeding drivers more than one kilometre away, and 10km over the limit means you can be slapped with a ticket.

“Highway patrol don’t have quotas, that is a myth,” Sergeant Buko said.

“But if they keep speeding, they get booked, they will lose their licence and they can’t drive.”