Operation Pipe Down - Vic Cops Vs Noisy Cars

[Roy]

I have seen lots and lots of what I would call really good members lose interest over this in last couple of years.

I know a lot of NSW police and its sad to read that it seems to be a problem in both states. Bosses that dont back you, every court appearances turns into a "my client is being victimised by police" etc. It is a tough job, which it seems politicians are making harder.

A quick story, a friend was on the radio with Alan Jones as at the time he was the Youth Liason officer for his patrol. Alan Jones made the comment, clip the disrespectful buggers accross the ear, in my day we feared the police etc" My friend replied, "Well Alan, its a different time with different attitudes. People have no cause to fear the police and should not fear the police. We should be approachable and seen to enjoy a good relationship with the wider community. The public should fear the courts and the wrath of what judegements passed if found guilty based on the evidence presented by the PP" ... or words to that affect. Police are the punching bags for the communities mistrust of government and legislation...the most common contact law abiding people have with the Police is traffic infringements...so sours the whole relationship with the community as the fines are so punitive for relatively harmless offences.

It's crap how they can just mail you epa letters without checking your car.

Stupid isnt it! The badge on your car means you are more likely to have to spend your working day in lines pushing paper work on the assumption of guilt!

Thats where NSW has it right with the RTA. Annual road worthys mean that the police do not turn into road worthiness experts. They are trained in law enforcement, not mechanics! Silly legislation!

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

graeham, are you guys instructed to actively look for loud cars at the moment? or simply to not let the ones you pull over go with a warning?

[Birds]

Alvin: Generally 2 police per car but TMU work one up most of the time. You just generally don't go to jobs that could turn bad. I have gotten in trouble before for going to armed robbery where offender was heavily drug affected male armed with knife. I caught him as he was about to get onto busy tram. I decided that it was imperative to apprehend him before back up could arrive for the safety of the people on the tram and I got into trouble from my boss for it. Not good work. Makes no sense.

I have been in pursuit whilst one up which was terminated straight away and apprehended offenders for other things but I go to more jobs than most as my sergeants know me well enough that I will make the right call in the situation for my safety and the public.

I think it's becoming more publicized about the lack of punishment at court. Highlighted with things like the convicted rapist that was released within 3 years and then raped and killed his next door neighbors which was front page news a while ago. I believe that there in no insulting/abusive words to police anymore. The courts have decided that people can talk to us however they want and we should cop it on the chin. Yet I'm in a lot of trouble at present for sending a message to a mate after a massive brawl at hotel we attended with a couple of choice words describing the behavior of the patrons.

Absolutely you can defend yourself and won't get charged as long as the force is reasonable.

You can see while most members would rather pull over a car and fine/epa/nou than deal with this other stuff.

I can see the intrinsic incentives to be an officer of the law that once were are now no longer. Seems to me the job has turned from the heroic role it once was, into the over bureaucratic revenue making tool it now is. Could it be as simple an explanation as "convincted criminals cost us revenue where as civil folk done on summary traffic offences make us revenue"? The idea that someone could be more afraid of the consequences of breaking the speed limit by 5km/h than bashing or stabbing another in a crowded place is pretty awful. Where's the motivation for you guys to go after the real criminals if both the public and your superiors aren't in favour of you doing it?

[bluejeans]

was parked behind coles off chapel street and they were doing breath testing along the sides streets around there - got waved right through coming out of the carpark - then watched the copper's heart break when he noticed he just waved through a skyline on revenue day!

[NickR33]

once again lawyers and litigation ruins it for everyone... police too afraid to do their job properly, public takes out their frustration on the officers out there trying to do their job... officers who get no support from their well paid, long lunch having, desk sitting bosses... everyone afraid of going back to the days when cops had full carte blanche to do beat people, lie, steal etc... so we have gone completely the other way and turned them into useless revenue collectors/security guards

kids are smart these days, they know you can't touch them... once upon a time you mouthed off to a cop like that you were taken back to the station and turned into a human pinball... then when your old man found out he would smack you round the head too

once again the majority (tax paying middle-class) have to foot the bill... pity we all listen to the media and have our heads too far up our arse to realise we are being screwed... again

[xALmoN]

Alvin: Generally 2 police per car but TMU work one up most of the time. You just generally don't go to jobs that could turn bad. I have gotten in trouble before for going to armed robbery where offender was heavily drug affected male armed with knife. I caught him as he was about to get onto busy tram. I decided that it was imperative to apprehend him before back up could arrive for the safety of the people on the tram and I got into trouble from my boss for it. Not good work. Makes no sense.

I have been in pursuit whilst one up which was terminated straight away and apprehended offenders for other things but I go to more jobs than most as my sergeants know me well enough that I will make the right call in the situation for my safety and the public.

I think it's becoming more publicized about the lack of punishment at court. Highlighted with things like the convicted rapist that was released within 3 years and then raped and killed his next door neighbors which was front page news a while ago. I believe that there in no insulting/abusive words to police anymore. The courts have decided that people can talk to us however they want and we should cop it on the chin. Yet I'm in a lot of trouble at present for sending a message to a mate after a massive brawl at hotel we attended with a couple of choice words describing the behavior of the patrons.

Absolutely you can defend yourself and won't get charged as long as the force is reasonable.

You can see while most members would rather pull over a car and fine/epa/nou than deal with this other stuff.

If i read it right, you got into trouble for apprehending a criminal before he got onto a crowded tram thus eradicating the risk of people getting hurt? I think that the police need more powers, they need to be respected. Pull the gun sometimes. But there must also be regulation, and people who abuse the system need to be removed. (I guess it costs money to enforce such systems?)

I see kids going about disrespecting people nowadays, they hurl verbal abuse at the elderly, cut queues, and push people around, and these are 10 - 15 year old kids. I can see where they're heading towards in the future. Working at a snackbar at boxhill station, i've been threatened a few times (by kids, by homeless people, lol) and i dont want to defend myself only to get a lawsuit thrown at me, its a waste of my time and resources.

And what left me confused today was, when i was heading down Flinders St today, there was a police officer copying down registration numbers, he was copying down most if not everyone's registration but driving an import, i can't help but feel paranoid about this. Any idea whats happening there? This happened around 1.30pm. I wasn't driving recklessly or anything, nobody was. I couldn't ask because the lights turned green and i had to move or i'd be holding up traffic.

[PIOTREK]

^^ definition of a wanker, serious i reckon that a skyline with brand new exhaust is better that a 1970 corolla with a burnt out mufler. but wat ever ppl seem to think that if you got an exhaust you got plenty of money and time to deal with their crap. Oh well part of the joy of having skyline unlucky i guess

[FrangaR33]

I know a lot of NSW police and its sad to read that it seems to be a problem in both states. Bosses that dont back you, every court appearances turns into a "my client is being victimised by police" etc. It is a tough job, which it seems politicians are making harder.

A quick story, a friend was on the radio with Alan Jones as at the time he was the Youth Liason officer for his patrol. Alan Jones made the comment, clip the disrespectful buggers accross the ear, in my day we feared the police etc" My friend replied, "Well Alan, its a different time with different attitudes. People have no cause to fear the police and should not fear the police. We should be approachable and seen to enjoy a good relationship with the wider community. The public should fear the courts and the wrath of what judegements passed if found guilty based on the evidence presented by the PP" ... or words to that affect. Police are the punching bags for the communities mistrust of government and legislation...the most common contact law abiding people have with the Police is traffic infringements...so sours the whole relationship with the community as the fines are so punitive for relatively harmless offences.

Stupid isnt it! The badge on your car means you are more likely to have to spend your working day in lines pushing paper work on the assumption of guilt!

Thats where NSW has it right with the RTA. Annual road worthys mean that the police do not turn into road worthiness experts. They are trained in law enforcement, not mechanics! Silly legislation!

The anual RWC system is fundementally flawed, and having lived in both NSW and Victoria I know from experience. The NSW RWC is so easy to pass its ridiculous, RWC while you wait, 10 minutes later its all done and fine, most cars my gf's family or friends have wouldnt pass a RWC in Victoria in a million years, yet year after year they pass in NSW because its just one big money making exercise.

[funkymonkey]

yeah RWC is piss easy in NSW as an extra amount over the usual cost will get you a blue slip or whatever it's called no inspection necessary. It used to be $100 over usual costs at one stage, but workshops started undercutting each other.

That system is flawed due to corruption, and due to the inability to police on such a large scale.

[UnCo]

Not sure if this has been posted already..

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/50241/vic...-more-than-1000

A JOINT operation between Victoria Police and the Environment Protection Agency has seen 1369 EPA notices issued to drivers and riders of excessively loud cars and motorcycles...

...While it did not offer specific breakdowns on numbers, Victoria Police noted the Nissan Skyline range as being the main vehicle of choice for the majority of offenders caught so far.

Other listed include the Holden Commodore (Ute models in particular), Subaru Impreza, and the Honda Integra and Civic."

[boostn0199]

lol surpise surprise skyline number 1 , cops got nuthing to do

[_Ryan_]

graeham, are you guys instructed to actively look for loud cars at the moment? or simply to not let the ones you pull over go with a warning?

I also seek an answer to this.

[Birds]

Not sure if this has been posted already..

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/50241/vic...-more-than-1000

A JOINT operation between Victoria Police and the Environment Protection Agency has seen 1369 EPA notices issued to drivers and riders of excessively loud cars and motorcycles...

...While it did not offer specific breakdowns on numbers, Victoria Police noted the Nissan Skyline range as being the main vehicle of choice for the majority of offenders caught so far.

Other listed include the Holden Commodore (Ute models in particular), Subaru Impreza, and the Honda Integra and Civic."

What a f***ing joke! More like, "the Nissan Skyline range as being the main vehicle of choice to target". And I quote: "every SKYLINE we've pulled over today claims to be an enthusiast and not a hoon". That was from the mouth of a cop who defected me and a mate 3 hours apart. There are much more Lancers and Civics going around with loud exhausts than Skylines. Much more common too. It's a car hunt.

[Halle]

What a f***ing joke! More like, "the Nissan Skyline range as being the main vehicle of choice to target". And I quote: "every SKYLINE we've pulled over today claims to be an enthusiast and not a hoon". That was from the mouth of a cop who defected me and a mate 3 hours apart. There are much more Lancers and Civics going around with loud exhausts than Skylines. Much more common too. It's a car hunt.

Well said Birds

[scotty014]

the thing that annoys me is the assumption, you cant assume anything. this may sound off topic but its relevant, a girl at work was saying yesterday how all guys are the same just because the few she has been with are assholes, now she assumes that we are all the same just because of those few, now this got me thinking about how relevant that is to this issue how the cops are assuming that a handful of skylines are nosiy and hoons so they think that all of them must be.

another way to look at is if your eating an apple and you take a bite and its got that horrible texture and not crunchy and juicy do you immediately assume that all apples in the world must be like this one?

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

skylines also "probably" have the largest amount of enthusiasts that are not hoons.... but of course that is not mentioned.

there has to be at least 10 loud commode-dors for every loud skyline... but they are not targeted like we are.

[Astro Bear]

So, anti-harassment car cruise anyone?

Lets show the world we aren't all a bunch of hoons. Who's in?

[vic stagea mick]

Lucky i don't drive a skyline and be classed as a hoon with a loud exhaust and have the HERALD SUN want to write about me as a hoon ...HKS silent exhaust.. I have a family wagon (VOLVO ...HEARSE) the same but different HAHA..Under the radar again thats why i did not get the r34 i wanted and be classed as one of those drivers but still have some of the benefits ..

[gdogzgtr]

I haven't been informed in anyway to target any cars in relation to this and my area has had no involvement with this operation.

Must be mainly for Region 1 area (city)Clearly members involved will be under instructions to issue epa/fines etc and not warnings as with all operations it's clearly stats driven and it's success will be determined primarily on numbers of EPA/fines etc and warning will not assist that in anyway.

If they are going to hand out 1500+ epa notices etc, then clearly they will determine this a huge success and most likely run more future similar operations.

[vic stagea mick]

I haven't been informed in anyway to target any cars in relation to this and my area has had no involvement with this operation.

Must be mainly for Region 1 area (city)Clearly members involved will be under instructions to issue epa/fines etc and not warnings as with all operations it's clearly stats driven and it's success will be determined primarily on numbers of EPA/fines etc and warning will not assist that in anyway.

If they are going to hand out 1500+ epa notices etc, then clearly they will determine this a huge success and most likely run more future similar operations.