Police are employing new technology in an intensified crackdown on dangerous road-using hoons.
The police have added high-tech cameras and an expanded fleet of drones to their armoury to complement the existing network of thousands of traffic cameras across the State.
Minister for Police, Mark Ryan said the extra equipment would make it easier for police to catch hoons and to take strong action against them.
“Police will have high-tech night vision-capable cameras that can be deployed covertly, operated by an officer, or deployed on a drone,” Mr Ryan said.
“Complementing the new camera technology, the Government is looking to expand existing laws, including shifting the onus of proof onto the vehicle owner.”
He said this meant if the owner claimed they were not driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, it would be up to them to prove it.
“Putting the onus on the owner would allow police to take greater advantage of the hooning footage captured by CCTV cameras,” the Minister said.
“The new camera technology will be especially valuable when police target mass gatherings of hoons.”
He gave the example of dozens of cars hooning in a particular location, with police now able to use the new cameras to capture images of all the vehicles.
“The high-resolution images will allow police to identify each vehicle, and then proceed to take action against the registered owner, unless the owner could demonstrate they weren’t driving at the time,” Mr Ryan said.
“The expanded laws would apply to a greater range of traffic offences caught on camera,” he said.
“An offender will no longer be able to avoid prosecution by simply masking their identities and denying they had been behind the wheel,” the Minister said.
