Drink-drive stops are not justified
THE annual drink-drive campaign figures have been released, and 850 drivers were stopped, of whom 14 were arrested. Or to put it another way, 836 people going about their lawful business and giving no indication of having committed any crime were stopped and questioned. I’m not aware of the police having been given the powers to randomly stop members of the public without having due cause, but if so then why not direct all this spare time onto stopping people in the High Street, equally speculative, but they might find a few people with shoplifted goods on them, or illegal drugs, probably a better success rate than 1.6%. Or why not randomly search 850 properties – I’m sure some areas would produce more than 14 houses with drugs or stolen goods.
The police will no doubt claim a deterrent effect, but apart from the questionable legality of stop and search, the end does not justify the means. It is not reasonable to stop and question 836 innocent people to catch a handful of possibly guilty parties.
Mobile phones now provide a much better and targeted method of focusing police efforts on those who are likely to have offended, as witnessed by recent prosecutions. The public are now very likely to report someone climbing into their car the worse for wear, and that is a legitimate and effective target for police efforts, rather than this shotgun approach.
NAME AND ADDRESS WITHHELD
Editor’s footnote: A Guernsey Police spokesman replies:
‘Drink-driving is an extraordinarily dangerous activity. Despite repeated campaigns, there is still a section of society which it believes it is acceptable. It is not. It places the person driving and everyone around them at risk – and let it not be forgotten that the last two fatalities on Guernsey’s roads were as the result of drink-driving.
Fourteen drink-drivers off the road is not an example of wasting police time, it’s a perfect example of how we work hard throughout the year to keep this community – including your correspondent – safe.
If you’re going to drive, the safe limit of alcohol to have is zero. We are out there any time, any place and in any weather. Take a taxi. Catch the bus. Designate a driver. Walk.
There’s no excuse.’