Hundreds of New Zealand police caught speeding
Waikato Times New Zealand
Increase blamed on lower tolerance during holidays, reports Blair Ensor.
It's probably not the result police were hoping for when they cut the speed tolerance on public holidays - hundreds more officers being caught speeding.
Figures released under the Official Information Act show nearly 2000 police vehicles were snapped speeding across 2010 and 2011 - 60 per cent more than in the two previous years.
Of the 1856 police vehicles caught, 927 fines were paid. Nearly all other tickets were waived.
The 10kmh tolerance allowed on the top speed limit of 100kmh was cut to 4kmh at Queen's Birthday Weekend in 2010, and has been used for all holiday weekends since. Since then police have said: "There are many factors involved in reducing fatalities on the roads but this is one thing that we can do that is making a difference.
Add a commentNew Zealand - Cops' speeding offences jump 64 per cent
New Zealand Herald - by Hamish McNeilly
Speeding police clocked up a 64 per cent increase in speed camera notices last year compared with the previous five years, it has been revealed.
Figures released under the Official Information Act show police were issued with 941 speed camera notices last year.
Of those offences, police paid 480 fines, 460 were waived and one ticket was dismissed by an Auckland court.
Wellington police officers led the way last year, paying for 60 speed camera offences, followed by Counties Manukau (58) and Waitemata (50).
Police officers in the Southern District paid for 38 offences - higher than other South Island districts; Tasman (26) and Canterbury (29).
Between 2005 and 2009 police recorded 2874 speed camera offences, with 1251 fines paid and 1623 waived.
Road policing national manager Superintendent Paula Rose said the number of speed camera notices issued to police had increased 64 per cent when compared with the average over the previous five-year period.
"This bears some relationship to the almost 100 per cent increase in the number of speed camera notices issued nationwide in 2010."