Hoons targeted in November

In November, ACT Policing will recommence its monthly focus on traffic issues, with a dedicated program targeting hooning.

This focus on hooning activities was added to the annual ACT Policing and ACT Government Road Safety Calendar (RSC) in response to community concerns. A month-long campaign in May 2021 – under the wider banner of dangerous driver behaviour - saw 151 hooning offences detected in the ACT.

The RSC identifies targeted enforcement and complementary communication activities during the year with a focus on dangerous driving behaviour and road safety issues known to be contributing factors in crashes in the ACT.

Speaking at the launch of the month-long focus at an intersection in the Paddy’s River region, Officer in Charge ACT Road Policing, Detective Acting Inspector Paul Hutcheson, said hooning required a whole-of-community solution.

“Hooning is not confined to one, or even a handful of suburbs. We know only a small number of drivers choose to indulge in this type of behaviour, but it is too many,” said Detective Acting Inspector Hutcheson.

“In the past five years in the ACT, police have issued more than 4,000 cautions, infringements, and charges in more serious cases, and we know there have been more.

“Importantly, for an infringement to be issued, the activity must be sighted by police or witnesses who are willing to come forward, and evidence must be collected, and this is where the community can help.

“Anyone who sees this behaviour, or who gets video of it on their phone, dash-cam, or CCTV system or sees it online, report it. We will respond to all the reports we receive, to investigate, or to gather intelligence.

“Importantly, we don’t address this type of behaviour without the help of the ACT Government. This intersection is one of several in the ACT that was identified as a burnout location. It has been resurfaced by the ACT Government with a special mix. Anyone who tries to do a burnout here will very quickly shred their tyres.”

The best option for anyone wanting to supply video to police is to take it to a police station on a memory card or USB. An officer at the station will then ensure all relevant details to go with the footage are collected at the time.

For anyone who can’t get to a police station, police recommend calling ACT Policing Operations on 131 444 to ask for an officer to collect it. Anyone doing this should ensure they have a copy they can give to the officer.

Media enquiries

Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au