By Laura Michell
A rise in fatal and serious injury collisions on Hume roads over the past 12 months has prompted Broadmeadows police to launch an operation targeting speeding, distracted and alcohol-affected drivers.
Known as Operation Northern Lights, the operation involves officers from Broadmeadows police station and Fawkner highway patrol.
The operation will ramp up next month to include police from Sunbury and Craigieburn as well.
Broadmeadows Sergeant Denis Busic said police wanted to do more to address the worrying increase in fatalities.
He said about seven people had died on Hume’s roads this year.
“With COVID …. and highway patrol being stretched over the division… I wanted to give members an opportunity to enforce road rules again and engage with the community,” he said.
“Bascially we are trying to be there for the community.
“We already do hoon stuff … all the high-end stuff is dealt with by highway patrol. [The operation] is looking at cars coming and going all the time, driving too fast, unregistered dirt bikes – this is a risk for us, it is difficult to deal with but we are trying.
“We remind people that drink driving is still not acceptable.”
In the operation’s first few days, police issued 11 infringement notices, one defect notice and impounded a vehicle after the driver was found to be suspended from driving.
Sergeant Busic said police were sharing offences detected as part of the operation on the Eyewatch -Hume Police Service Area Eyewatch page, with one post in particular drawing a lot of attention.
“A post about an unrestrained child generated a lot of interest,” he said. “That generated a lot of shock. People couldn’t believe people still do that.”
Police also shared a post about a man who blew almost four times the legal limit after being spotted riding an unregistered motorbike in Gladstone Park about 10am on March 9. The rider was stopped by police and asked to do a breath test. Police said he returned a reading of 0.192. The man’s licence was suspended and his motorbike was impounded for 30 days.
Sergeant Busic said police were also keen for the community to share their concerns with them.
“Any policing issues that they are concerned about, or any questions, we are happy to help out,” he said.
“If people have any specific issues, the first point of call is Crime Stoppers or email broadmeadows.uni@police.vic.gov.au.”
