Cape Town: City’s enforcement agencies has issued the number of drunk driving arrests that has increased significantly. The team has made 399 arrests in the past week.
Reportedly, 41,228 fines were also issued for various traffic and by-law transgressions. Drunk driving arrests saw a marked increase week-on-week, along with 60 arrests between Traffic, Metro Police and Law Enforcement.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Safety and Security – Alderman JP Smith confirmed that they are not halfway through the month and the drunk driving arrests is showing a disturbing increase.
Showing his concern, he said that these figures are usually indicative of the end of the month or a pay day weekend, mostly when drivers are less cautious than they should be. However, the long weekend likely played a role, considering the conditions on the roads this past weekend.
According to Smith, traffic cops are doing more proactive and targeted operations. He said, let this be a warning to people who routinely break the law.
“We are working smarter and integrating technology into our traffic operations, like the Eye in the Sky, to ensure our roads are safer for all users,” said JP Smith.
He further added that the City also has free programmes at clinics for those who want to kick the habit of alcohol abuse. Drunk driving destroys lives, apart from the astronomical economic losses in terms of injuries and fatalities.
Alderman Smith also said, “If you cannot make the responsible choice to drive sober, then choose to get help.”
As per the sources, traffic officers arrested 55 people, of which 40 were for driving under the influence, five for reckless driving and ten for various other transgressions.
Officers also recorded 12,814 speeding offences, that issued 22,391 fines for various traffic violations, while executing 2,041 warrants and impounded 163 public transport vehicles.
The Law Enforcement team made 262 arrests including one by officers who were on patrol and found a 24-year-old man in a freshly dug trench along the Stellenbosch Arterial Road, which is a known hot spot for cable theft.
Furthermore, the suspect was taken to Belhar police station, along with two 10-metre-long copper cables, two spades and a hacksaw, which were also in the trench. Also, Metro Police officers have arrested 82 suspects and issued 2,477 traffic and by-law fines.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 1,343 incidents this weekend, with most indicators showing a decrease. They logged 72 cases of assault, 54 domestic violence calls and 47 motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents.
ISR, commonly referred to as Eye in the Sky, which is the information, surveillance and reconnaissance technology and is a two-seater fixed wing aircraft fitted with state-of-the-art cameras, which is deployed to provide officers with situational awareness and aerial imagery when conducting various enforcement operations.
The aircraft that can fly higher than a drone is also fitted with infrared cameras, allowing it to register body heat in cold water, the heat resonating from a recently fired firearm or even the wheels of a speeding vehicle.