Sgt Peter Shellam with his team testing drivers by the side of Gnangara Road.
Camera IconSgt Peter Shellam with his team testing drivers by the side of Gnangara Road. Credit: Supplied/Caroline Frank

Police on the prowl

Caroline Frank, The AdvocateThe Advocate

A booze bus was set up from up from 8.40am to 11.30am and motorists were lined up at the roadside for random breath tests, licence checks and the occasional drug test.

Sergeant Peter Shellam said the presence of the officers was a surprise for many motorists ,but the focus was not just on booking intoxicated drivers.

He said police intelligence gathered from traffic headquarters in Midland was used to determine where to send the team.

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‘We get sent to areas to target particular types of offences; we are here for suspended drivers and anyone else who might be breaching the Road Traffic Act,’ he said.

‘We are sent to areas because it is an area of high volume crime.’

Sgt Shellam said the Breath and Drug Operations team operated four buses every day of the week.

‘We were out in Armadale recently and we got nine suspended drivers in the day, which is pretty huge,’ he said.

‘We are more than a booze bus; we are looking for someone who has broken into your home, stolen your car, those sorts of things.’.

One Ellenbrook resident who was pulled over by police and tested positive for driving with a blood alcohol level in excess of the legal limit was philosophical.

‘It’s annoying to be pulled over in the morning,’ he said.

‘I’m late to pick my son up from the airport but I blew just over the limit, so it’s my fault ” no one else to blame.

‘It is good to have these random checks; the police should enforce what they do.’