Police crackdown targets dangerous drivers across Corio and North Geelong

Victoria Police and the Sheriff’s Office issued 11 penalty notices during a joint operation in Corio and North Geelong on Thursday last week.

Officers from the Public Order Response Team (PORT), Geelong Highway Patrol and local police set up outside the Corio Bay Motel and just north of the railway line on Thompsons Road during the operation.

Automatic number plate recognition was used to identify vehicles with outstanding warrants, which were then waved over for further inspection.

Police also conducted about 410 preliminary breath tests.

Of the 11 penalty notices issued, the majority related to traffic offences including speeding offences, driving unregistered motor vehicles offences and driver licensing offences.

“This operation was all about reducing road trauma and bolstering community safety in Greater Geelong,” PORT Acting Sergeant Matt Nauta said.

“We had a highly visible presence, with dozens of our Public Order Response Team officers working together with Geelong Highway Patrol, local police and the Sherrif’s Office to target high risk areas and put dangerous drivers on notice.”

Sgt Nauta said there were also static and roving patrols to detect and deter offending as well as the breath testing sites.

“Already this year we’ve seen far too many lives lost and it needs to stop. Our message is clear: if you do the wrong thing, you will be caught,” he said.

“We will continue to run these targeted operations to reduce road trauma and keep the community safe.”

As of midnight on 23 May, 105 lives have been lost on Victorian roads.