South Australia Police's new shadow patrol cars were deployed in the Riverland this week to help detect and deter dangerous driving.
SAPOL launched the new shadow fleet of low visibility marked patrol vehicles on Friday 10 July to assist with detecting drivers committing offences including drink and drug driving, speeding, inattentive driving, and dangerous driving – behaviours that put road users at risk.
Between Tuesday 13 and Thursday 16 July, officers from the Road Policing Section conducted a road safety operation in the Riverland area utilising two of the new fleet.
During the operation, police detected 25 drug drivers, issued 52 traffic expiation notices and defected 27 cars. Police issued 24 instant loss of licences and impounded two vehicles.
Incidents of note include:
- A disqualified driver was stopped in a homemade car, using the motor of a gopher and the body of a child's ride-in car. He also returned a positive result when submitted to a drug test. He was reported and will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
- A P-plate driver was detected travelling at 127km/h – P-platers are limited to 100 km/h. He also tested positive result to cannabis. He was issued an expiation notice for speeding and received a three-month instant loss of licence.
- A traffic stop at Blanchetown resulted in multiple warrant arrests and a man arrested for breaching his bail. The arrested persons will appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court later today, while the driver was allowed to continue on their way to Berri.
Overall, the shadow patrols cars were positively received by the community, with many taking the time to have a walk around and photograph the vehicles.
Feedback came from a driver caught on her phone who was shocked to see a shadow fleet next to her, and a man not wearing his seatbelt, who exclaimed, "I didn't even see where you came from!"
Shadow patrol car in daylight
Shadow patrol car with light illuminating reflective markings
