UK - Speed cameras catch more than 400 cops
Speed cameras catch more than 400 cops
10 September 2007 | 15:07
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MORE than 400 Suffolk police officers were given tickets for speeding while driving force vehicles, it emerged today.
However, less than a dozen ended up paying the £60 fines and having three points put on their licence during a 12-month period.
Suffolk Constabulary said only 11 intended prosecution notices were deemed valid as 398 of them were cancelled because the officers were on emergency calls.
The speeding cops who did break the law were left to pay their own fines, but did not face disciplinary action.
The force released the information after a Freedom of Information request by The Evening Star asking about speeding offences involving on-duty officers during the last financial year.
A reply to the FOI request submitted by the Star stated: “During the period April 1, 2006 and March 31, 2007, 409 notices of intended prosecution for speeding offences were issued to drivers of Suffolk Constabulary vehicles.
“Suffolk Constabulary will have paid no fines, as it is the individual driver that is responsible in each instance. However, during the period April 1, 2006 and March 31, 2007 a total of 11 drivers paid a £60 fine.
“The remaining notices were cancelled once confirmation had been received that officers were in the course of their duty responding to an emergency call.
“Eleven drivers received points on their licences and no officer has been disciplined as a result of a speeding offence.”
Kate Tindle, a spokeswoman for Suffolk police, said: “Officers are trained to drive at speed so they can attend emergency incidents as quickly and as safely as possible.
“We have a rigorous process in place to assess speeding police vehicles. Each incident is thoroughly reviewed and if it is confirmed that it occurred in the course of duty, the penalty notices are cancelled.
“Those incidents that do not fall within the category of an emergency response are dealt with in the same way as they would be for any other member of the public, for instance, points on a licence and a fine.”
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