September 23, 2010
MORE than a third of drivers who fail to stop for police are never caught and the problem is getting worse.
Statistics obtained by The Courier-Mail under Right to Information laws show more than 1000 drivers fled police in the nine months to March 2010, and almost 40 per cent (351) escaped detection.
The figure represents a 24 per cent increase in the number of drivers evading police since 2007-08. In the same period the rate of detection fell 5 per cent.
Those drivers who did not escape police were either arrested, cautioned or given a notice to appear in court where they were generally fined about $220 despite the offence carrying a maximum $20,000 fine or three years jail.
Police told The Courier-Mail the main reason offenders escaped detection was because they were driving a stolen car or a vehicle with false plates.
''If you've got the registration number you should be able to track down the driver,'' said an officer.
The Beattie Government made evading police an offence in 2006 in an effort to deter offenders from fleeing officers and reduce the number of high-speed police pursuits.
The laws coincided with a tightening of the police pursuit policy, which resulted in chases falling from 630 in 2006 to 284 in 2009.
Logan, south of Brisbane, reported the highest number of evading police offences in the nine months to March with 120, followed by Townsville, 96, and Ipswich with 69.
Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said the lenient treatment of those who evaded police ''defied belief''.
''It's effectively a green light for drunk and drug-affected drivers to attempt to out-run police at every opportunity,'' Mr Leavers said.
''Drunk and drug-affected drivers now know that police won't pursue them, and nor will these offenders receive a penalty if caught.''
In March, State Coroner Michael Barnes recommended tougher penalties for evading police as part of his review of the pursuit policy.
But Police Minister Neil Roberts said those penalties already existed. ''Evading police is a serious criminal offence which poses a real risk to community safety,'' he said.
''Courts have the power to issue offenders with a $20,000 fine or up to three years imprisonment. In addition, an application can be made for the forfeiture or impoundment of the offender's vehicle.''
A Queensland Police Service spokesman said any driver who failed to stop for police in a police vehicle could be charged.
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