ARARAT - Ararat Police are continuing to actively promote the Hoon Hotline, seeing it as a valuable tool in reducing the number of dangerous driving incidents in the region.
The Crime Stoppers Hoon Hotline has been operating for almost six months.
Coupled with hoon legislation introduced in July 2006, which enables police to seize cars for a variety of driving offences, the hotline and more police looking out for hoon drivers is seeing results which are exceeding expectations.
Ararat Traffic Management Unit's Sergeant David Todd said in the past 12 months Ararat Police have seized 17 cars.
The majority of these drivers are male and in the 18 to 25 year old age bracket.
"It still seems to be the culture of the way people are driving and it is evident that they don't understand the dangers of speed and fatigue,'' Sergeant Todd said.
The introduction of the hotline has given the public the opportunity to get actively involved and is assisting police with targeting offenders and making the roads safer.
An unprecedented volume of information has been received statewide by police which allows for both short and long term responses.
Crime Stoppers has modelled its response on that of the local hotlines with the advantage of:
- Recording the information on a central database to capture hoon drivers wherever they breach the law and across all police regions.
- Freeing up police members from administrating local lines so that more members are on patrol.
- Providing the basis for targeted operations that create efficiencies in the allocation of resources.
Repeat offenders are now more likely than ever to be targeted as a result of information to Crime Stoppers.
Sgt Todd said Ararat Police are still actively promoting the use of the Hoon Hotline.
"When you ring the hotline a file is generated recording the description of the car and the location and it then builds up a profile on the types of cars, where incidents are happening and times (of incidents),'' Sgt Todd said.
"This information then goes to our local police station and I then task people to go out and take a look.''
Sgt Todd said despite the hotline, people were still ringing the Ararat Police Station directly but don't want to be identified - this is where the Hoon Hotline comes in, as calls to this line can remain anonymous.
"However, if someone is witnessing someone doing a big burnout out the front (of their house) they can give us a call and we will be straight on to it,'' he said.
"But if it is regular occurrence, someone seeing the same car doing burnouts all the time, police would prefer people to ring the hotline.''
This enables information to be gathered which will assist police in reducing hoon behaviour overall in the Ararat area.
The range of enforcement options available to police has made the hotline a powerful tool to ensure drivers are held accountable for their behaviour.
This ranges from a simple identification or warning notice through to vehicle impoundment.
This is powerful legislation which police believe has had a significant positive impact on Victorian road safety.
Victoria Police has the power to impound, immobilise or confiscate any vehicle involved in a hoon act, regardless of whether or not the driver is the registered owner.
Comparing the 2006-07 fiscal year and 2007-08 fiscal year police have seen a 30 per cent increase in impounding vehicles due to increased enforcement, extra offences and the Crime Stoppers Hoon Hotline initiative.
From April 28 to September 30, 2008 Crime Stoppers submitted over 2,100 information reports on hoon drivers for action with local Traffic Management Units.
Members of the public can report hoon activity to police by phoning 1800 333 000 or visiting the website at www.crimestoppers.com.au
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