❓ The Acting Minister for Police addresses concerns about reckless driving and outlines the impact of the 2012 pursuit legislation, including protections for officers and mandatory minimum sentences for offenders.
AnsweredQoN 846Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
POLICE — PURSUIT LEGISLATION
846. Mr P. ABETZ to the Acting
Minister for Police:
In light of recent media reports on police pursuits, can the
Acting Minister for Police please inform the house on the impact of the pursuit
legislation that was introduced in December 2012?
846. Mr P. ABETZ to the Acting
Minister for Police:
In light of recent media reports on police pursuits, can the
Acting Minister for Police please inform the house on the impact of the pursuit
legislation that was introduced in December 2012?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern River for the question, and I
know that this issue is causing a lot of concern to the community. People
driving recklessly and at high speed on our roads are clearly a major threat,
partly to themselves, but more importantly to other members of the community
and to police officers who have to try to deal with those difficult situations.
Unfortunately, so far in this month
of October, there have been 15 full police pursuits in the metropolitan area. I
think members will recall that in December 2012, amendments to the Road Traffic
Act were passed, having been introduced by this government, to address the
concerns that people have about this issue. Included in that legislation was
the provision of greater protection to police officers who are engaged in
emergency driving—that is, if they are undertaking those duties in
accordance with police guidelines and are driving reasonably in the
circumstances, they will have a greater level of protection than was the case
previously.
In relation to the offenders, the amendments to the Road
Traffic Act created offences for reckless driving while seeking to escape a
pursuit by the police; dangerous driving causing bodily harm while seeking to
escape a pursuit by the police; and dangerous driving causing death or serious
injury while seeking to escape a pursuit by the police. These offences now
carry with them some tough mandatory minimum sentences that reflect the
government's commitment to deterring and ensuring there is adequate
punishment for offenders who are putting at substantial risk the lives of
police officers and other members of the public, as I have said, not to mention
themselves.
So it is the case now, for people
who are apprehended and charged and convicted of these sorts of offences, that
reckless driving while seeking to escape a pursuit carries a minimum two-year
licence disqualification and a minimum of six months' imprisonment;
dangerous driving causing bodily harm while seeking to escape a pursuit carries
a mandatory minimum sentence of six months' imprisonment; and dangerous
driving causing death or serious injury while seeking to escape a pursuit will
result in a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 12 months. As of 31 May this
year, 3 538 offenders have been charged with pursuit offences since the
legislation was initiated in December 2012. As I have mentioned, so far this
month there have been 15 police pursuits in the metropolitan area. That is
clearly 15 too many. But we are keen to ensure that, as I have said, people who
are charged and convicted of these offences understand the consequences of
their very dangerous behaviour, and we are keen to ensure that our police
officers are properly supported and that the lives of innocent people on our
roads are protected to the maximum possible extent that we can.
know that this issue is causing a lot of concern to the community. People
driving recklessly and at high speed on our roads are clearly a major threat,
partly to themselves, but more importantly to other members of the community
and to police officers who have to try to deal with those difficult situations.
Unfortunately, so far in this month
of October, there have been 15 full police pursuits in the metropolitan area. I
think members will recall that in December 2012, amendments to the Road Traffic
Act were passed, having been introduced by this government, to address the
concerns that people have about this issue. Included in that legislation was
the provision of greater protection to police officers who are engaged in
emergency driving—that is, if they are undertaking those duties in
accordance with police guidelines and are driving reasonably in the
circumstances, they will have a greater level of protection than was the case
previously.
In relation to the offenders, the amendments to the Road
Traffic Act created offences for reckless driving while seeking to escape a
pursuit by the police; dangerous driving causing bodily harm while seeking to
escape a pursuit by the police; and dangerous driving causing death or serious
injury while seeking to escape a pursuit by the police. These offences now
carry with them some tough mandatory minimum sentences that reflect the
government's commitment to deterring and ensuring there is adequate
punishment for offenders who are putting at substantial risk the lives of
police officers and other members of the public, as I have said, not to mention
themselves.
So it is the case now, for people
who are apprehended and charged and convicted of these sorts of offences, that
reckless driving while seeking to escape a pursuit carries a minimum two-year
licence disqualification and a minimum of six months' imprisonment;
dangerous driving causing bodily harm while seeking to escape a pursuit carries
a mandatory minimum sentence of six months' imprisonment; and dangerous
driving causing death or serious injury while seeking to escape a pursuit will
result in a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 12 months. As of 31 May this
year, 3 538 offenders have been charged with pursuit offences since the
legislation was initiated in December 2012. As I have mentioned, so far this
month there have been 15 police pursuits in the metropolitan area. That is
clearly 15 too many. But we are keen to ensure that, as I have said, people who
are charged and convicted of these offences understand the consequences of
their very dangerous behaviour, and we are keen to ensure that our police
officers are properly supported and that the lives of innocent people on our
roads are protected to the maximum possible extent that we can.
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