I hope everyone had a good long weekend. It was great to see the road toll at zero with everyone making it home from their holidays safely.
Senior Constable Deb Hann – On the Beat
In the seven days prior to writing, in the Western Waikato Policing district, we have had nine incidents of people driving with excess breath/blood alcohol levels. The legal breath alcohol limit is 250mcg/alcohol per litre of breath. Five of the drivers dealt with returned positive breath alcohol readings in excess of 650 mcg/litre of breath and two were over 1100 mcg/litre of breath.
Drinking alcohol greatly reduces a person’s ability to make choices – especially where decision-making calls for complex judgements. It also slows a person’s reactions, dulling their judgement and vision. The risk of a crash increases as the driver’s alcohol level increases.
Someone under the influence of alcohol is unable to judge their own fitness to drive as alcohol creates a false sense of confidence. If you see someone who you believe to be under the influence of alcohol, reaching for the car keys or driving, phone 111 immediately.
Give as much detail as possible around their identity, the vehicle and intended travel path. Not only are they a risk to themselves and other motorists through their own driving, but also their reaction times when responding to bad driving from others, is extended.
The community are our eyes and ears when it comes to reporting offending in progress.
Thanks to members of the public in Cambridge last Friday we dealt with two family harm incidents on Queen Street involving the same couple who were passing through town – the second incident being an escalation of the first.
I am grateful for the calls from members of the public around this. As a result, a Police Safety Order was issued to ensure separation and prevent a reoccurrence. Police involvement also means that agency support and follow-up can occur in their hometown to assist in reducing harm.
Elsewhere in the last seven days Cambridge Police dealt with jobs that included five family harm incidents, wilful damage, counterfeit money, 13 thefts, two thefts from car incidents, 10 attempts to steal cars and actual car thefts, six burglaries, four mental health incidents, five traffic crashes, threatening behaviour and an aggravated robbery.
Te Awamutu Police dealt with jobs including five assaults, seven mental health incidents, four traffic crashes, four burglaries, four threatening speech incidents, 15 family harm incidents, two wilful damage cases, arson, five traffic matters, a breach of court bail, disorderly behaviour and attempted car theft.
