Sending cops to catch speeding drivers ‘only works for 10-20 minutes’

A TOP cop has admitted that sending out officers to catch speeding drivers only works for the 10-20 minutes they’re standing there.

Community Inspector Tony Rogers intimated that, on its own, the measure makes little difference and motorists just put the foot down when police are no longer there.

He was responding to calls for more to be done about drivers going too fast, one of the main complaints raised by local communities, at last week’s South and West Fife area committee.

Councillor Patrick Browne, who represents Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay, said: “The big issue that we have is about speeding traffic.

“I don’t know if it’s a post-COVID thing but over the last couple of years, people seem to be driving more aggressively, certainly in areas where there’s people walking around and school crossing patrols.

“Pop-up Jims, great, community speedwatch, great, but I think we need a more formal basis to make the point that if you do speed, even in residential areas, then there’s a possibility you’re going to get a ticket. I think we need to do something about speeding traffic.”

Insp Rogers said there were competing demands for the police’s limited resources and explained: “To put in a speeding deployment you have to put two officers out there.

“Quite simply, it fixes the problem for the period of time that they’re there.

“So for the 10-20 minutes they’re standing in place it will either stop people speeding or we’ll catch someone and ticket them.

“So there is a deterrent but that alone is not going to work and that deterrent effect could be realised elsewhere.”

He continued: “I have to make decisions about where our time is best spent and when I’m dealing with what ifs or definites, my officers are out there dealing with the risk and vulnerability that’s out there in the community.

“So, these concerned calls we spoke about earlier, missing persons, people at risk, dealing with domestics, hate crimes, they’re going to take priority over speeding deployments unfortunately.

“What I will say is that where there is a specific issue and where the data supports it, we’ve got other resources available too, Fife road policing department is out there on a frequent basis, the speed detection van is deployed too.”

He said their main focus would be on slowing down drivers near schools although new ‘pop-up Jims’ – the cardboard cut-outs of a cop with a speed camera that are attached to lamp-posts – will be made available to community councils to provide a “static deterrent” where required.

Community speedwatch, which took a back seat during the pandemic, will also re-start with volunteers being sought.

Insp Rogers told councillors: “Speeding has been raised as an is

A lot of the issue about speeding is down to perception of speeding, which causes anxiety in the community and sometimes that’s not backed up by data

sue from time immemorial really.

“There’s no set pattern, there’s not a street in Fife where we don’t get some complaints of speeding at some point.

“Reports are coming in from across South West Fife, both urban and rural areas, it’s not a new issue.

“A lot of the issue about speeding is down to perception of speeding, which causes anxiety in the community and sometimes that’s not backed up by data.

“We’ll continue to deploy speed detection devices on an ad-hoc basis but we’ve got to focus them and we’re not going to respond to every report of speeding.”

He concluded: “We have to deter as best we can and the most efficient way right now is through these alternative means.

“So speeding deployments will still take place but they’ll be predominantly around schools and other vulnerable areas.”