Dangerous driving operation has “unprecedented success”

OPERATION Dragoon has led to unprecedented success in reducing the number of dangerous drivers on Northumbria’s roads, the Police Federation of England and Wales’ annual conference has heard.

PC Steve Clare said that since Operation Dragoon began in 2013, 169 people have been arrested and 295 summonses have been issued.

He added that people who have been convicted are facing 32 years in prison between them and 115 years in disqualifications. To date, 163 vehicles have been seized.

PC Derek Longstaff added: “We hunt them and I make no apology for using the word ‘hunt’. At the end of the day, they are endangering my family, my friends and yours. If that means sitting in a street for hours, then I will do it.”

Operation Dragoon was thought up after two fatal collisions in 2013. In those cases, the drivers shared certain characteristics – including already having had words of advice from police, verbal warnings, and reports of bad driving, although no-one “had joined the dots”, said PC Clare.

Delegates heard that the operation has three strands: education, engagement and enforcement, but the enforcement element marked it out from other forces.

Enforcement begins with risk management and assessment which identifies targets and whether they are high, medium or standard risk.

High risk covers a range of factors including ‘likely to cause death’. Medium includes criteria such as whether they have a history of dangerous driving. Standard risk would mean the target was young or inexperienced or had been given previous warnings. The force is currently monitoring four high risk targets, 21 medium and 149 standard risk targets.

PC Longstaff said that part of the strategy was for officers to attend remand hearings, which put magistrates under pressure to remand offenders. The operation has a 100% success rate for remands. He said: “We are sat there in court because it is that important and that necessary that this person is remanded in custody.”

The officers said they have found a ‘massive link’ to criminals including drug dealers and sex offenders. The team, which includes one sergeant and eight constables, now believe Operation Dragoon should be rolled out nationally.

PC Clare added: “It is an effective system that is proven to work.”