Qld police vehicles busted speeding, running red lights
New figures reveal the startling speeds — and other road offences — clocked up by Queensland cops. But the police service says it’s all in the line of duty.
Crime & Justice
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COPS have been caught doing up to more than double the speed limit on their way to emergencies, it can be revealed.
Queensland Police Service figures reveal the startling speeds clocked by officers in the year to February.
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At the top of the list was one officer who was caught doing 168km/h on a police motorcycle through the 80km/h Airport Link Tunnel in Brisbane last April.
Then in September, a senior constable on the Gold Coast recorded a speed of 123km/h in a 60km/h zone.
The highest speed reached in Toowoomba was 102km/h in a 60km/h zone by a senior sergeant in March last year.
And in Logan a senior constable hit 158km/h on the Mt Lindesay Highway at Jimboomba in a 90km/h zone in May last year.
Other incidents included a senior constable in Brisbane who reached 168km/h in a 100km/h zone, and a senior constable on the Gold Coast who was caught doing 172km/h in a 110km/h zone.
In all instances recorded by the QPS, the officers in question were cleared of any wrongdoing.
Asked why it was necessary in some instances for police to travel at these speeds, a spokeswoman said: “As first responders, Queensland Police Service officers are required to attend a wide range of incidents that can justify driving above the speed limit.
“Every officer is required to complete a driver training course at the (police) academy, and advanced courses are required for certain QPS positions, for example road policing units.”
The Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995 and Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009 allows police to speed in certain circumstances.
These include serious traffic accidents, serious assaults, or a domestic violence incident that is still in progress.
In these situations, police have “priority travel” to attend the scene as soon as possible.
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