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THE number of drivers caught speeding in Scotland has soared by almost 40 per cent – well over the police’s target of a ten per cent increase.
A report by official watchdog HM Inspector of Constabulary revealed the figures and called for a return to officer “discretion” rather than a targets culture.
"
http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/transport/number-of-speeding-drivers-soars-1-3491630
So, the HMIC thinks too many are being caught??
Call me old fashioned, but when lots of drivers are caught speeding, I don't blame the police.
From http://www.hmics.org/about-us/who-we-are
"Derek Penman QPM
Derek was was appointed Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland in January 2014. This is independent appointment under Royal Warrant and confers wide ranging powers to look into the “state, effectiveness and efficiency” of both Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority."
"Derek completed the Strategic Command Course in February 2008 and in June of the same year was appointed Assistant Chief Constable, Crime and Specialist Operations, with Grampian Police. He led on the force priorities of national security, serious organised crime, public protection and road casualty reduction. His portfolio also included energy and protective security for the North Sea and Royalty protection."
"He was awarded the Queens Police Medal (QPM) in the 2014 Queens Birthday Honours.
Derek is also a Member of the Institute of Directors and is the Honorary Colonel of Angus and Dundee Battalion of the Army Cadet Force."
Institute of Directors? I didn't realise the police were a business...
Anyway, his bio doesn't say whether he is a keen motorist, but given that most Scots are, that's a fairly safe bet. We don't have to be in CID to deduce that this chap is politically somewhere on the right, perhaps rather further to the right than an "impartial" inspector ought to be.
I didn't realise the police were a business...
http://www.acpo.police.uk/About/AboutACPO.aspx
Association of Chief Police Officers ©2011. Company Number: 3344583. Registered in England and Wales.
I have had very quick skim of the HMICS Report, the "Thematic Inspection of Roads Policing":
As you might expect, its a bit more nuanced than the chipwrapper reports. The concern is that a target driven culture is leading to officers becoming focussed on meeting ticket issuing targets, rather than concentrating on a wider range of actions to reduce incidents and casualties.
It's a tough call - I think speeding drivers should be ticketed where possible. However, I also think scarce resources should be concentrated where they will have the greatest impact (i.e. to actually reduce casualties). I think we need to trust the police (and other public servants) to make the right judgement calls, with a view to focussing on the big picture of incident and casualty reduction.
I have personal experience of how simple numerical targets can subvert the delivery of a public service, so have some sympathy with the recommendations in the report.
It is of course important to reduce the number of accidents. But speeding (and driving badly) have many indirect effects, such as giving an impression that a road is too dangerous to cycle on, raising noise and pollution levels etc which have public health implications.
@ IWRATS, yes the police are a business and registered set the following address
999 Letsbe Avenue
So the police are doing better at catching speeders than their bosses predicted - up from 170/day to 240/day. And how many drivers speed without being caught? From surveys at about 400 speed camera sites in Scotland, on average 26% of drivers exceeded the limit which is 880,000 per day, just at the camera sites.
http://scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/Datasets/DatasetsSafeCam/safecam2011
@gembo. I think you're confused. That's not ACPO at Letsby Avenue, but the South Yorkshire Air Support Unit.
"So the police are doing better at catching speeders than their bosses predicted - up from 170/day to 240/day. And how many drivers speed without being caught? From surveys at about 400 speed camera sites in Scotland, on average 26% of drivers exceeded the limit which is 880,000 per day, just at the camera sites."
"A report by official watchdog HM Inspector of Constabulary revealed the figures and called for a return to officer “discretion” rather than a targets culture."
So it sounds to me like officers should be allowed to use their discretion to keep catching motorists even after targets are met rather than ignoring anything they see from their car which is outside target.
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