New police to make roads safer

WATCH out hoons and traffic offenders, the Gympie police have two extra traffic branch officers to patrol the region’s roads and they are out to get you.

Gympie police have two extra staff on the traffic branch roster – Senior Constable Mark Woitowitz and Constable Shane Smithers (kneeling front), who are joined by Sergeant Peter Webster and Superintendent Alan Bourke. Picture: Craig Warhurst

WATCH out hoons and traffic offenders, the Gympie police have two extra traffic branch officers to patrol the region’s roads and they are out to get you.

The new officers boost the Gympie traffic branch to a total of eight policemen, and Gympie Superintendent Alan Bourke says the extra manpower will help make the region’s roads safer.

“It is good news for the Gympie district,” Supt Bourke said.

“Our focus is on reducing road trauma and we were lucky enough to get approval for two extra staff.

“Both officers have been hand-picked in relation to excellence, dedication and work ethic,” he said.

Senior Constable Mark Woitowitz and Constable Shane Smithers have been employed at the Gympie station.

Snr Const Woitowitz has returned to Gympie after working on the Gold Coast and said he wanted to come back to Gympie because it was a great place to raise a family.

Const Smithers has worked in Noosa and Murgon.

The former mechanic said he had always wanted to join the traffic branch and the job in Gympie was a great opportunity for him.

Supt Bourke said Gympie police were dedicated to reducing road trauma in the region and were concentrating on the fatal four of speeding, driving drunk, seatbelts and driver fatigue.

He said Gympie police had arrested 485 drink drivers this year and handed out 8000 tickets for life endangering driving offences.

“Clearly, people out there are not getting the message,” he said.

“Most drivers need to be congratulated on the way they drive, but some people on the roads are putting other drivers’ lives in danger.

“If people want to disobey the road rules they now have more chance of getting caught,” he said.

But the region’s chief police officer said law abiding drivers had nothing to fear from the increased police presence.

“Only people who do the wrong thing have to worry, and the police could appear any time or anywhere,” he said.

Gympie traffic branch Sergeant Peter Webster said he was happy to have the additional staff.

He said the Gympie traffic branch had been busy targeting hooning offenders in the inner city and said his team was making inroads into the illegal activity.

“We have made a difference and impounded quite a few cars for hooning offences,” Sgt Webster said.

“Unfortunately, there are still people out there willing to take the chance.”

The two new officers for the Gympie Police District, which includes the South Burnett, brings the total number of police here to 158.

Originally published as New police to make roads safer