With the threat of public spending cuts affecting fixed speed cameras in Dorset, the Assistant Chief Constable has anounced that the Comunity Speed Watch scheme which has been successfully piloted in West Dorset, is to be extended to other areas of the county. The Police want volunteers, who will be specialy trained to operate hand held speed detection devices, and be supplied with high vis jackets, to record registration numbers of speeding vehicles to the Police, who will then write to the registered keeper. If the vehicle is reported on several occasions, the police will take steps to aprehend the offending driver, and take enforcement action.
Dorset Police Federations chairman is concerned that the private sector could become involved, resulting in a shambles remeniscent of that in the wheel clamping industry. He said that we should replace fixed cameras with trained traffic police who would be able to detect other offences.
An ABD spokesman said that 60 per cent of speeding is done by people who live in the vicinity. He added, "I don't like the idea of local volunteers operating the devices. There is a certain degree of self-righteousness and vigilantism. This leads to neighbour disputes, and can be poison for community relations.
This scheme is in the same vane as one mooted three or four years ago, where ADIs would report offences to the police
There was very little suport for the scheme amongst ADIs.There is one group of people who should be performing these sort of duties, and that's the police.
