Cruising along between jobs, Weekly photographer Wayne Hawkins noticed some interesting police action taking place at the Jack Roper Reserve near the old army barracks on Camp Road, Broadmeadows.
There were cars all over the nature strips (and not a parking officer in sight), a police van and several police vehicles.
Pulling over to “investigate”, Hawkins found himself in the middle of a Sheriff’s Office operation targeting fine evaders. Automatic number plate recognition technology (ANPR) had been used to pinpoint the culprits, who were given the option of paying their fines on the spot, making payment arrangements or having their cars clamped for seven days if they did nothing.
Sheriff Brendan Facey told the Weekly 107 suspect drivers were pulled over during the blitz, representing 1713 outstanding warrants and totalling almost $550,000 in unpaid fines.
Mr Facey said payment in full was received from 62 defendants, which finalised 226 warrants totalling $65,724, while 31 drivers were given a notice of intention to suspend their driver’s licence or vehicle registration within seven days if they did not sort out their fines. These notices were issued against 1040 warrants, which collectively totalled $337,000. The Sheriff’s officers also applied 28 wheel clamps for 639 warrants totalling $192,000.
Mr Facey said the operation introduced 12 new recruits to the ANPR technology and procedures used for enforcement action against fine evaders.
“They will work alongside experienced Sheriff’s officers for seven weeks before being deployed around the north-western region.”
He said the recruits would gain experience in a range of sheriff activities, including visiting fine evaders at their work or home, attending roadblocks conducted with Victoria Police and other agencies, and using ANPR technology to scan vehicles in car parks.
