Commentary
| Published date | 01 December 1967 |
| Date | 01 December 1967 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X6704001201 |
| Subject Matter | Commentary |
BreathaIysers
The breathalyser came into use on October 9. The Govern-
ment's determination to bring in a radical measure
against"
drink-
ing
and
driving"
has expressed itself in terms of scientific experi-
ment and arduous public debate; official propaganda and discus-
sion in the press and on television have ensured that this new way
of policing the motorist has been thoroughly introduced to every-
one.
It
is clear that police action in the early stages of implementing
this provision of the
Road
Safety Act, 1967, has been effective
and discreet.
For
once, too, the public know what the law is and
realize that the police have to enforce it.
It
is not a popular law
-a
great many people think it is unnecessarily severe, and it seems
that a good deal of hardship is falling on publicans who depend
on the motorist's trade - but it has been accepted with the kind
of grumbling and the rueful good humour with which the British
often meet emergency regulations. This particular emergency is
of long standing; everyone in the country is conscious of the prob-
lem of bad driving and any measure which is likely to reduce any
part of it will ultimately find favour.
It
is to be hoped that the modification of drivers' drinking habits
which was observed immediately the breathalyser was introduced
will survive the Christmas season. There is good reason to think
that it may. The courts may surely be relied upon to cope drastic-
ally with any mass attempt to flout the law and the police cer-
tainly will not flinch from discharging the duty laid upon them
by Parliament.
Mobility
One of the consequences of the adoption of unit beat policing is
a need for many more motorcars. The Government's decision to
add £2 m. to police expenditure on panda cars is a gratifying re-
sponse to H.M. Chief Inspector of Constabulary's strong plea for
increased police mobility. The Home Secretary is obviously satis-
fied that the pandas
and
radio used in unit beat policing are prov-
ing efficacious in combating crime.
Several thousand more cars should be in use by the end of
1968, by which time some 14,000 radio sets should have been
issued to policemen. The motor industry, especially the
Ford
and
B.M.C. organizations, is naturally very pleased with the prospect
of large official orders at the present time. Police officers are
December 1967 539
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