CRIMINALS in the North East are avoiding arrest simply by driving off from police as a new policy bans officers from chasing after them.
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There have been multiple cases of officers letting offenders drive away since the new Victoria Police policy came into effect earlier this month.
Police management admit the changes are likely to lead to a spike in fleeing motorists but say the policy is about safety, with 13 people dying after pursuits initiated by officers since 2010.
The policy bans police from pursuing cars in all but the most serious cases where there is a threat to the public or a major offence has been committed.
Several officers from at least five police stations in the North East have expressed frustration to The Border Mail about the directive, saying it gives people a free ticket to offend.
In an incident on Wednesday, a vehicle with no number plates travelling at 150km/h was pulled over by officers on the Murray Valley Highway at Rutherglen.
Police exited their car to question the driver, but the man sped off.
Officers had no choice but to return to their vehicle, and could not pursue the car.
In another incident in Wangaratta on Tuesday morning, a driver carrying knives, methamphetamine and ice pipes sped off from officers who did not chase the vehicle.
The car was eventually located and the driver arrested and charged.
There have been several other cases of police letting drivers speed off, with many officers confused about what they can and can’t do.
Their concern is that criminals will increasingly drive off from officers knowing they are powerless to stop them.
Police are encouraged to apprehend offenders at a later stage but say confirming the identity of drivers is challenging, especially without number plates or a clear view of the driver.
Road policing command Superintendent Michael Grainger has been travelling the state explaining the changes to officers, and spoke to about 60 police in Shepparton on Thursday.
He will discuss the concerns held by police members in Wangaratta on Friday.
“There were in excess of 1740 vehicles pursued in Victoria last year,” he said.
“Every one of those occasions posed a risk to our community and to our police members.
“Given that we know in excess of 130 police pursuits resulted in vehicle collisions, we had to reassess our position on that.
“In certain circumstances we will still conduct vehicle pursuits after a very tight risk assessment process, but there will be very few occasions where we see ourselves pursuing at high speed, or at any speed, vehicles evading police.”
Superintendent Grainger said fears had been raised at the forum in Shepparton about a rise in people breaking the law.
“We may well see a spike in that activity, but the experience in other jurisdictions is that that won’t be sustained,” he said.
“We don’t wish to contribute in any way, shape or form the trauma that plays out on our roads every day.”
The changes were implemented on July 13 after a coronial review handed down several recommendations, including that police never pursue a car simply because it is fleeing.
