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POLICE TO SANCTION USE OF GUNS TO TACKLE SPEEDSTERS
(November 22, 2009)SPEEDING traffic in residential and village communities has been a problem for police for years.
Huge demands on police resources have meant that calls for police to undertake speed checks sometimes take weeks or months to be answered but now the police have a cunning plan to deal with the problem.
VisionforWarminster has learned that Wiltshire Constabulary is to take up an initiative widely used in neighbouring Gloucestershire called 'Community Speed Watch'.
The idea is to arm trained members of the public with properly calibrated speed guns and then set them up at the roadside, a points acceptable to police, so that they can record and deter speeders.
If people are caught speeding their numbers will be taken and a letter sent after their details are checked on the police national computer.
The idea has been given an airing at area board meetings taking place in Wiltshire and we expect it to be revealed in Warminster this week by Inspector Dave Minty.
The idea is about education rather than enforcement and police say many of those caught are from local communities rather than people passing through.
''I think this is a good idea although some caution needs to be taken as there is potential for conflict between those involved in monitory the speed of traffic and bad-tempered motorists - and there are some in this town,'' said vfw's Steve Dancey.
''However police have assured that the training will include instructions to deal with this situation.''
A minimum team of six people is needed to get this off the ground and pilot schemes are already in operation in Enford near Pewsey and in parts of Amesbury.
Huge demands on police resources have meant that calls for police to undertake speed checks sometimes take weeks or months to be answered but now the police have a cunning plan to deal with the problem.
VisionforWarminster has learned that Wiltshire Constabulary is to take up an initiative widely used in neighbouring Gloucestershire called 'Community Speed Watch'.
The idea is to arm trained members of the public with properly calibrated speed guns and then set them up at the roadside, a points acceptable to police, so that they can record and deter speeders.
If people are caught speeding their numbers will be taken and a letter sent after their details are checked on the police national computer.
The idea has been given an airing at area board meetings taking place in Wiltshire and we expect it to be revealed in Warminster this week by Inspector Dave Minty.
The idea is about education rather than enforcement and police say many of those caught are from local communities rather than people passing through.
''I think this is a good idea although some caution needs to be taken as there is potential for conflict between those involved in monitory the speed of traffic and bad-tempered motorists - and there are some in this town,'' said vfw's Steve Dancey.
''However police have assured that the training will include instructions to deal with this situation.''
A minimum team of six people is needed to get this off the ground and pilot schemes are already in operation in Enford near Pewsey and in parts of Amesbury.