Exeter unveils its citizen speed cops
RESIDENTS could soon be turning detective to track down speeding motorists in the city.
Police in Exeter want to recruit civilian volunteers to use speed guns to monitor traffic in residential areas.
The scheme will initially be launched in Alphington but could spread across the city if it proves to be successful.
Volunteers will not be able to take action to enforce speed limits on the spot.
But they will be able to enter the make, model and registration of speeding cars into the police computer and letters warning of the dangers of speeding will be sent out.
If the same driver is noted a second time, police officers will hand-deliver a letter to offenders living locally.
And if the problem persists, drivers could be issued with a legally enforceable fixed-penalty fine of £60 and have three points added to their licence.
WPC Michele Maton, neighbourhood beat manager for Alphington, said: “We have lots of complaints from residents about people speeding.
“In Church Road, going out of Alphington, there is a sensor which detects speed and it is lit up more often than it is off.
“Speeding is a priority. The feedback from residents is important to us,” she said.
“We can’t be out there 24 hours a day, but the residents fought hard to get the 20mph limit.”
She added: “Residents can check speeds more often than we can as they are not restricted by other duties.
“They will be able to set it up as and when they want to — for example they could choose to check speeds perhaps between 10am and 2pm when the traffic is not so heavy and so speeding is more likely.”
Vanessa Newcombe, city and county councillor for Alphington, said the ward’s 20mph speed limit was regularly exceeded by motorists and suggested the scheme to city police.
She said: “I have been hearing from residents that if they are driving at 20mph, other people are overtaking them. The police do not have the resources to monitor speed all the time.”
The initiative, known as Community Speed Watch, has already been piloted in North Cornwall and has proved a big success. The Alphington scheme is the first of its kind in Devon.
Andrew Bell, a local resident who campaigned for the introduction of the 20mph limit, said recruiting residents was not the best way of dealing with speeding.
Mr Bell said: “My preference would be for redesigning the road, and then for police enforcement.”
He said it would have been better for Devon County Council to have introduced speed-calming measures when lowering the speed limit.
But Andrew Howard, the AA’s head of road safety, welcomed the plan.
He said: “This is an intelligent way for police to find out where people are speeding.”
Neil Scott, a solicitor with Foot Anstey and a specialist in road traffic cases, said: “While it is quite common now for civilians to be provided with speed measuring equipment and training which are used to generate warning letters to motorists, it is very difficult to see how there would be admissible evidence to justify fixed penalties or prosecutions given that the law requires that the speed alleged is supported by other evidence, usually film or photographs.
“Also, the accuracy of the equipment, of the user and its regular calibration could all be challenged.”
Residents who are interested in being trained to use the speed guns should contact WPC Maton on 08452 777444, or email her at michele.maton@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk.
32 Comments
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by martin, Dawlish
Thursday, July 23 2009, 6:51PM
“Sgt, Will Police officers also receive letters and £60 fines if they persist, I very much doubt it, it will most probably be filed in the bin”
by Nigel, Exeter
Thursday, July 23 2009, 12:42PM
“Please SgtWatts, tell us how many people/children have been injured or killed in Exeter in the last 10 years, by people driving more than 20 miles per hour, but less than 30 mph.”
by M James, Central Exeter
Thursday, July 23 2009, 7:50AM
“Sgt Watts, I appreciate that you don¿t wish to enter into an online discussion about this matter, but thank you anyway for taking the time to correspond. I will however ask you for a simple and straight answer on one thing. In your opinion, not as a Police Sergeant, but as a civilian motorist (I assume you¿re a motorist!), do you feel the newly imposed speed limits in Alphington (Church Road to Chudleigh Road) or perhaps in Exwick (Buddle Lane to Exwick Rd) are overly draconian and totally unenforceable? Can you hand on heart say that since those limits have been in place, you haven¿t unintentionally or otherwise, driven along those roads at more than 20mph?”
by Sgt Gary Watts, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Thursday, July 23 2009, 5:57AM
“Whilst I do not wish to get involved in an online debate I would like to take the opportunity to give some more information regarding the Community Speed Watch scheme currently being spread across the force area.
Speeding vehicles in built up areas are the main local priority across the two counties. These priorities have been decided through the PACT process by the public not the police.
The Community Speed Watch scheme has been extensively piloted in Cornwall for 18 months and has been shown to be successful.
The volunteers are not replacing Police Officers or staff. In fact they join us at a time that we have provided a number of extra police officers to frontline policing. This is a response we do not have the resources to commit to without their help.
The volunteers are fully vetted and trained to use the equipment to the same standard as police officers and staff.
Volunteers do not issue tickets or start prosecutions. They provide the police with intelligence showing who are the persistent speeders. The police then target those individuals and tickets are issued or prosecutions follow.
If you are ever prosecuted for speeding it will be as we have always done, using a fully checked and calibrated device being operated in accordance with policy by a trained member of staff. If you wish to contest the prosecution you will have the opportunity through the court system.
With Community Speed Watch only 2 warning letters are ever issued (subject to a 12 month period). This could be 1 from speeding in Penzance and the second in Exeter actually preventing instances where motorists get warning after warning after warning.
By introducing this scheme (which is widely used nationwide and has been for nearly 10 years) we are responding to public opinion with the best resource currently available.
We understand that some people 'forget' occasionally to keep to or below speed limits and we now have a consistent method of reminding those people (without giving out points and fines) and dealing with those that persistently ignore speeds in built up areas putting us all in danger.
Volunteering isn't new, even in the police service. For a number of years with have been working with those willing to give a few hours in a number of areas. These volunteers are making a big difference and helping improve policing services to the public.
As has been pointed out Special Constables are volunteers that are also vetted and receive extra powers and training because they also want to help. They have been in exsistence for 170+ years so as I said volunteering is nothing new.
Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams will closely monitor the volunteers, their behaviour and the behaviour of the public towards them. Anything untoward in either area will be dealt with according to the law.
I hope I have been able to answer some of your concerns but will ensure a full section is available on our website soon to provide more detail.
I'm sure that even those that have failed to see the merit in this scheme would like to see fewer deaths, injuries and collisions on our roads which is ultimately our one and only drive behind Community Speed Watch.
regards
Gary”
by John, Exeter
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 9:04PM
“Maybe they should consider giving these people Taser guns as well, to help control the anti-social behaivour in their local communities too....!!”
by Jan, Exeter
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:18PM
“Whilst we're out walking my husband and I regularly see drivers breaking the speed limit. Also motorcyclists weaving in and out of traffic, we saw one late last week close to Middlemoor HQ.
We've been passed twice through Exton within the past 6 months and that is a 30 mph zone, as well as being passed on a 40 mph zone further on the road to Exmouth on a bend.
We regularly spot motorists using their mobile.
Something seriously needs to be done on all the highway code offenders. Speed limits are enforced for a reason.”
by Peter, Dawlish
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 8:15PM
“They tried this on Shaldon bridge, I mentioned insurance to a top cop - the plug was pulled on that exercise.”
by Colin, Exeter
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 3:46PM
“I use a radar gun. I am not the police but I monitor speeds for someone. I have had to go to Kent for training on the radar gun. If its pointed at someone and the gun is moved, it can add a few more miles per hour on the screen. These people need to have correct training on the gun or wrong speeds will be recorded. I would challenge any letter sent to me regarding my speed if I was caught by joe public with a radar gun. The gun I use is a K-gp, it has a radar calibration certificate, a serial number and the gun must be tested every day before use with a tuning fork to make sure it reads correctly. It must be accurate to induced doppler frequency 1800Hz to 7200 Hz.. The tuning fork must oscillate at 4680 Hz at room temperature. Is joe public going to know or test this equipment correctly before use? I agree that we need to slow down in places, but let the police who have been fully trained on the radar gun do it.”
by Ronny Dennis, Exeter
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 3:39PM
“Members of the public wielding portable speed cameras really doesn't sound like the best solution. However there is an increasing problem in the uk, of some drivers recklessly using higher powered and modified vehicles. Many of our main roads being turned into late night urban raceways and drag strips. And let's not forget Devon's country roads-cum-24hour rally circuits. The police should concentrate on dealing with serious speed/road offenders, instead of arming the WI to catch every average motorist safely doing 35mph in a 30mph zone.”
by M James, Central Exeter
Wednesday, July 22 2009, 3:23PM
“Apart from the issue of the Police delegating a job they¿re paid and obliged to do, to busy bodies, the fact is it's all political clap trap. No points or fixed penalty. They could send you a thousand letters, but it means nothing unless you¿ve been caught by a Police Officer or camera van. I¿ll be driving home at my usual speed tonight which is between 25 and 35mph. Excessive? No, just sensible.”