Coppers Defend Rental For Traffic Control

Good-government types in New Zealand are up in arms about the use of an airplane by police for traffic control, forcing the cops to defend the practice in the New Zealand Herald.

The police used the plane to observe and identify dangerous drivers before the Saturday, March 12, "Super 12" rugby match between Blenheim and Nelson. As it happens, they didn't catch any speeders with the plane, but they did bag two of those passive-aggressive types who like to get in front of a long line of cars and then drive slowly.

Tasman District Highway Patrol team leader Eric Davy explained to the Herald why the cops take this offense as seriously as speeding. "It leads to people acting stupidly to get past them. They will overtake them when it's imprudent to do so, and that's why you have head-on crashes."

The New Zealand police, like police everywhere, have both public-safety and criminal-apprehension duties. Some of them enforce the nation's 100-km/h (62 mph) speed limit and other road laws, while others deal with violent crime, drugs, or missing-persons cases. Unlike most North American police officers, New Zealand's normally go unarmed; a special unit deals with the handful of armed and violent criminals.

Traffic is a growing problem on the temperate, mountainous island nation, and the police are trying to use modern methods, especially during peak periods and special events like the Super 12 match.

Despite Davy's sensible defense of the practice, the Herald's tone indicates that the writer doesn't approve of squandering public funds on these newfangled flying machines.

How much did the cops spend on this extravagance? Well, the plane rents for NZ $220 an hour -- and they used it for an hour and a half. $330. The two fines are $150 each, so the New Zealand public is out NZ $30. In US terms that would be, according to NZ government statistics, $22.28. (The rate friday was US $0.74.28 = NZ $1.00).

The police are unrepentant; they plan to hire the plane again for the Easter holiday. Even if it sets the country back another thirty bucks!

FMI: www.police.govt.nz