Ballarat police: disappointing start to Easter

By Jordan Oliver and Pat Nolan
Updated November 2 2012 - 4:24pm, first published April 24 2011 - 1:38pm
Ballarat police: disappointing start to Easter
Ballarat police: disappointing start to Easter

BALLARAT police say they’re disappointed with the attitudes of some local drivers based on early results of Operation Crossroads – a massive road policing operation running over the Easter weekend.Police all over Australia have joined forces to saturate the nations roads this weekend, with Ballarat Highway Patrol sergeant Stuart Gale saying local police stations have “all hands on deck” to provide a significant presence.“We make sure we don’t roster any leave for this time of year so we can provide a strong police presence,” he said.“We do our best to get the message out there – but it’s disappointing to see people still breaking the law regardless of the consequences to themselves and those around them.”Sergeant Gale said a number of drivers had already been caught breaking the law this Easter, with two days still to go during Operation Crossroads.He said seven drivers had been processed for exceeding the speed limit and eight people were caught drink-driving by 5pm Sunday.“We’re disappointed with the results so far,” he said.“To date, thankfully we haven’t seen a fatality in this division, but it’s important that drivers take heed of the warnings, take regular rest breaks and concentrate when they’re behind the wheel.”Of those caught was a Sebastopol motorcyclist involved in a minor crash at Magpie on Friday.Ballarat Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Pat Cleary said the man was riding an unregistered motorbike, was unlicensed and was not wearing a helmet.Senior Sergeant Cleary said the man was extremely lucky not to have sustained serious injury and be in hospital.Police issued a stern warning to drivers last Thursday in the hope of avoiding any collisions during Operation Crossroads, which runs from April 21 to 26.Uniformed members from Ballarat have joined Highway Patrol units in the operation, along with members from smaller stations such as Buninyong, Beaufort, Avoca and Lexton. Booze buses and vehicles with drug testing equipment are also taking part in the operation.

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