Leading policeman speaks of need to cut Cumbria road deaths
Last updated at 16:28, Monday, 25 February 2013
A LEADING police officer has stressed the need to reduce the number of fatal crashes after 30 people died on Cumbria’s roads last year.
In 2007 there were 45 deaths and 274 serious injuries resulting from traffic collisions in the county.
Those figures fell to 30 deaths and 164 serious injuries in 2012.
But Inspector Dave Bosson, who heads up the South Cumbria road policing unit, told a public event in Barrow that was still too many.
He said: “We’re doing pretty well, but that’s still 30 people who have gone out in the morning to work, school, college and never come back.
“With road deaths it’s instant, and for 30 people last year they didn’t get the opportunity to make peace and say the things they always wanted to say.
“You can’t underestimate the impact it has had on people, so 30 deaths is 30 too many and we need to get that down.”
Speaking to the Safer, Better, Stronger meeting in The Forum in Barrow on Friday, Insp Bosson explained how Cumbria’s road policing unit – which featured on the Channel 5 show Police Interceptors – tackles crime on the roads.
Just some of the priorities include stopping the supply of drugs, countering terrorism and providing a highly visible presence on trunk roads.
He demonstrated the use of a stinger – carried in all road policing cars – which are slid across roads to puncture fleeing motorists’ vehicles to slowly and safely bring the car to a stop.
The audience was told how police carry out “tactical pursuit and containment” chases only when entirely necessary – and by officers trained to the highest standard.
Insp Bosson said there were around 45 cases last year where drivers failed to stop.
He said: “That’s a very, very low number. We do train for it and have plans. It’s all about planning things – it’s always got to be done safely.”
Insp Bosson described the value of the automatic number plate recognition cameras fitted in all road police unit cars.
A positive recognition triggers an alarm inside the police vehicle and displays on a big screen the details of the passing offender.
Insp Bosson said: “It brings us massive results and that’s how we target and tackle criminality on the roads in Cumbria.”
He said Cumbria police seize 20 to 30 uninsured vehicles a month thanks to this technology.
First published at 16:09, Monday, 25 February 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Have your say
ANPR cameras always on always looking relying totally on the DVLA databse being accurate and up to date... so every car on the road now contains a potential criminal.
Orwell was right he just got the date wrong.We are all guilty until we prove our innocence. Isn't that the wrong way round?
Posted by Tony on 27 February 2013 at 19:23