Traffic boss big on education

The Pilbara’s new traffic boss hopes to change the way driving is policed in the region and focus on educating road users. Sergeant Ian Morris last week officially took the driver’s seat at Pilbara traffic as the officer-in-charge. Sgt Morris, who joined Karratha police in June last year after a stint in Kununurra, said he wanted to educate drivers rather than just hand out fines. “I’ve already started an initiative with prisons where I am going to be part of their rehabilitation program where we are going to go out there either monthly or fortnightly and aim to educate them on traffic and road rules and basically what will bring them to our attention,” he said. “I want to do the same thing with the young people in town, the P-platers. Just a bit more educational than enforcement. “Humanise us the traffic guys a bit more so they can see why we stop them, things they don’t think they are doing wrong which is the hooning and the antisocial driving which they might think is normal being a different generation.” Sgt Morris said while education was a focus, driver behaviour along Dampier Highway continued to be an issue and drivers doing the wrong thing would be targeted. “It’s a bit of a culture that the Dampier Highway is a bit of a speedway,” he said. “Karratha is a city and you have to drive as such. I make no apologies, it will be policed as such. “People hate the fact that no one indicates, or they cut you off or they go too quick. We call that antisocial driving. It won’t be tolerated and the public doesn’t like it. “There are a number of drivers we are looking at, at the moment, so if they don’t curb their behaviour they can expect a knock on the door.” Sgt Morris said Pilbara traffic would be involved in the State operation running over the Christmas and new year period to ensure safety on the roads. He encouraged the community to contact police with any traffic concerns.