Strong partnerships between Police, the Hastings District Council and the
community are helping identify anti-social road users doing burnouts around
Hastings.
On average Police impound around 25 vehicles a month for undertaking burnouts
and anti-social driving, 16 in two weeks of COVID Alert Level 4 lockdown.
In the first six months of 2021, 133 vehicles were disposed of.
Eastern District Police Acting Road Policing Manager Senior Sergeant Mark
Clayton says the community has had enough and Police have no tolerance for
anti-social drivers.
“We have been working with local councils to identify problem areas and
cameras have been installed at a number of sites. Once we have identified
offending vehicles, we can impound them,” says Senior Sergeant Clayton.
He says councils are also looking at engineering solutions.
Senior Sergeant Clayton says what is extremely pleasing is the increase in
members of the community reporting anti-social driving behaviour.
“When members of the public pass on the details of vehicles involved in
anti-social behaviour such as burnouts, we can follow it up and take action.
With support from our communities we can make a real difference.”
Senior Sergeant Clayton says Police understand some members of the public are
concerned about the repercussions of reporting anti-social driving, but he
reassures people their identities will remain anonymous.
Hastings District Council Security Manager Clint Adamson says the Council
understands the frustration that the community feels when having to put up
with anti-social behaviour – whether that is on the roads or otherwise.
He says to support the Police the Council has established an extensive
network of CCTV cameras around the Hastings district.
“While we can’t have cameras everywhere, our camera operators have been
able to regularly capture images of anti-social driving behaviour and pass
these on to Police for follow up which has contributed to a number of vehicle
impounds,” says Mr Adamson.