STACY SQUIRES/STUFF
Police can run red lights when heading to emergencies but why do so many Christchurch drivers think they can do the same? (Video first published in January 2019)
Three red light cameras will be switched on later this year to catch motorists illegally running through intersections in Christchurch. A red light camera was installed at the intersection of Bealey Ave and Madras St in 2018, but it had only been used to collect data and no infringements had been issued from it. By contrast, Auckland had 20 cameras by February last year, with more to be added. Christchurch once had cameras at 10 intersections, which were used in the late 1980s and 1990s.
There have been several high-profile fatalities resulting in criticism of police since then, including Kenneth McCaul, who was killed when a fleeing driver t-boned him on his way to work in 2019. Frontline police say chasing suspected drunk drivers, car thieves and suspicious vehicles will now be a thing of the past because the suspected crime does not justify the risk.
David Walker/Stuff The email Stuff obtained was sent by Wellington road policing manager Inspector Wade Jennings to frontline police in the district. The “revised” policy suggests “changing mindsets, our pursuing decisions, and how we resolve them”. “Pursuits are a high-risk tactical option, it is very difficult to place black and white rules so there is going to be a lot of educating and discussions,” Jennings wrote.