Cop CARE

By Kelly Yates
POLICE issued 20 defect notices to drivers with unroadworthy cars when they patrolled the streets during Operation CARE (Casey Area Road Enforcement).
Casey traffic police set up the roadblock-style operation, which focused on traffic and crime related offences, last Wednesday along Saxonwood Drive in Narre Warren and Ormond Road in Narre Warren South.
Operation CARE is the first police operation of its kind in the City of Casey and involved police from the Casey Traffic Management Unit, Casey Response Unit, Casey Criminal Investigation Unit, general duties officers from Narre Warren, Endeavour Hills and Cranbourne police stations, sheriff’s department officers and police from the Melbourne-based Operations Response Unit.
Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from the Casey TMU said police were targeting unlicensed and drink drivers, motorists not wearing seatbelts and those driving unroadworthy vehicles, as well as drivers attempting to traffic drugs, stolen goods and weapons.
Police checked 182 vehicles during a four and a half hour operation and discovered four unregistered vehicles, four speeding drivers and three unlicensed drivers.
Sen Const Inderwisch said police also caught two drivers failing to display P-Plates, two motorists using their mobile phone while driving and two learner drivers with no accompanying driver.
“The number of defect notices we handed out is a concern for police,” he said.
“These people are on our roads and are carrying children and others in unroadworthy vehicles. It’s a hazard to themselves and also others on the roads.”
Sheriff’s department officers collected a total of $24,883.80 in outstanding fines during Operation CARE.