This is all part of Operation Target, a Mitchell PSA initiative that sets out to reduce incidents impacting road safety across the region.
“Operation Target is a road policing operation targeting our local persons of interest, local hotspots and educating the public, and every other motorist that goes through Seymour, about road safety, distracted driving, impaired driving and enforcing road rules,” Seymour Police Station Sergeant Joel Prathipaty said.
Mitchell PSA Local Area Commander Anna Parkinson said Operation Target began on February 2 in response to a rise in road incidents in the region.
“It came off the back of an increase we saw in ‘hooning’ behaviour and highly inappropriate driving offences around the PSA,” she said.
“We felt that there was a real need to act and take swift action to hold our road offenders to account.
“We’ve made a real conscious, concerted effort to target these offenders and to curb their offending, and to also send that message out to the community that this kind of behaviour on our roads will not be tolerated.”
Operation Target has, so far, accomplished what it was put in place to do.
“The way we measure that [the success of the operation] is by the hours that we put in,” Sgt Prathipaty said.
“Whether that be penalty notices issued, breath-testing sites conducted, intercepts we do, impounds of cars we do.
“We measure it in all those categories and it’s been very successful.”
Having run for just two weeks to date, the operation has seen 12 vehicles impounded, 600 preliminary breath tests conducted and 15 infringement notices issued.
Alongside these numbers, police have received a positive response from members of the community.
“We post everything we do in relation to the operation on our local Facebook pages, and we have had nothing but positive feedback from members of the public,” Sgt Prathipaty said.
The rise in road incidents can be perceived as a regular occurrence during the summer period within the region, with higher activity on our roads leading to higher risk.
However, Local Area Commander Parkinson said, “unfortunately, this type of offending on our roads does happen all year round.”
Sgt Prathipaty and Local Area Commander Parkinson urged members of the local community to share their feedback with police on local hotspots in the region, as well as potential persons of interest, either anonymously on Crime Stoppers, or by attending their local police station or having a chat to officers where possible.
“We’re always open for feedback, you can reach out, we’re open 24/7,” Sgt Prathipaty said.
Additionally, Local Area Commander Parkinson emphasised the importance of taking authority of one’s own driving conduct.
“The community can have an impact on road policing and road safety by being really conscious of their own driving habits and the habits of their loved ones,” she said.
“If everyone takes ownership of their own driving behaviour, then hopefully we’ll see a reduction in road trauma.”
Operation Target is set to conclude on March 1; however, this will not be the end of targeted road policing in the region.
To assist police, members of the community can lodge an anonymous report via Crime Stoppers or call their local police station.
