No Excuse Operations
Operation Dragoon
'No Excuse' and Dorset Police's Roads Policing teams have launched a new operation targeting those most likely to kill on our roads.
Operation Dragoon recognises that some individuals refuse to modify their driving behaviour and fail to foresee the potential consequences of their actions.
To enhance the existing method of operation, a dedicated analytical resource will now work alongside the Force Intelligence Bureau to grade road users as ‘High’, ‘Medium’, ‘Standard’ or ‘Ungraded’ risk offenders through structured, regular reviews. This will allow further refined targeting of individuals posing risks.
Operation Dragoon will ensure these individuals are identified as early as possible, with positive, persistent and proportionate action taken against them. ‘High’ and ‘Medium’ risk offenders will be allocated an officer in charge, who will focus on preventing them from escalating their behaviour through engagement with the individual, their family and their friends.
Roads Safety Operations Manager, Operation Dragoon and ‘No Excuse’ lead, said: "Actively engaging with our most prolific road offenders and those closest to them is an innovative concept. It is vital that we go that step further and confront dangerous driver behaviour head on.
“Road deaths should not be an inevitable result of travelling on the road network in Dorset. Officers will not only engage with offenders early on to deter a continuation or escalation of their behaviour, but throughout any criminal proceedings and after their license is returned.”
Offenders will be #Dragooned.
The combined resources of the roads policing and traffic teams from Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police join together with an aim to deliver a highly visible roads police presence within a concentrated geographic area.
At a practical level Allied wolf brings officers and traffic teams together. Chief Inspector Leisk of Alliance roads policing, “It’s great to see our vehicles jointly crewed by officers from both forces working side by side. So it’s a terrific way to learn from each and to identify best practice for our day to day processes in the Alliance” . “In addition to policing traffic offences, through Allied Wolf we can also work with neighbourhood and territorial teams to target the operations of known organised crime groups”, added Chief Inspector Leisk.
Operation Close Pass has been launched across Dorset, which sees police targeting drivers who don’t give cyclists enough room when overtaking.
The initiative is designed to improve the safety of cyclists and raise awareness among all road users on how to behave courteously to each other.
The operation uses police officers wearing cycling clothes who take to the road on bicycles fitted with cameras to record the behaviour of drivers who overtake them.
If offences are found to have taken place, the officer alerts colleagues who will direct the vehicle into a checkpoint where the driver is offered roadside education using a specially designed mat which illustrates the safe passing distance.
Anyone refusing the ten minute roadside education will revert to receiving a fixed penalty notice of £100 and three points on their licence for the offence of driving a vehicle without reasonable consideration of others. At an inaugural launch seven drivers were given roadside education over a 90 minute period in Bournemouth. Officers also issued seven tickets to motorists for using a mobile phone at the wheel, one driver had their vehicle seized for no insurance or licence and another received a fixed penalty notice for not having a valid MOT certificate.
'No Excuse' regularly run 'Surround a Town' operations throughout Dorset. Surround a Town is a day-long operation, concentrating on mass enforcement and publicity in the area. Marked and unmarked police patrols are located in and around a town to catch drivers committing all driving offences. Those caught not wearing their seat belts on the day have the option to attend a free short educational presentation on the risks and consequences of being unbelted, instead of receiving a fixed penalty.
An Education and Awareness day for road safety primarily in our Rural roads areas.
Officers with the No Excuse team and roads policing target agricultural vehicles in the area in response to complaints received regarding speeding, distracted driving, careless and inconsiderate driving and drivers using mobile phones.
Mobile patrols target farm vehicles and rural locations alongside Community Speedwatch volunteers and schemes. There is an opportunity for residents and road users to engage with officers at a prime location for further road safety advice and literature. The events are often supported by Rural Crime officers and NFU with local authorities
Op Coachman objectives:
- Disrupt, deter and detect offences relating to all forms of vehicle-enabled criminality, with a primary thematic focus on commercial vehicles and larger vehicles transporting shipping containers.
- Improve compliance with road safety legislation - particularly amongst the commercial vehicle community through its observance of tachograph & drivers' hours regulations including all school transport
- Generate intelligence (potentially of national importance).
- Provide public reassurance through enhanced visibility on the road network; and
- Countering terrorism