What Friday night in December looks like for Dorset traffic police

The Daily Echo was invited to go on a drink and drug drive patrol with the traffic unit of Dorset Police to see firsthand what a Friday night in December looks like on our roads in Bournemouth and Poole. 

Several volunteer special constables took part in a night of action and enforcement on Friday, December 2, to tackle suspected drink and drug driving. 

Special constable looking for cars speeding (Image: Daily Echo)

Whilst stationary in a bus stop for less than 10 seconds, the special constables spot a driver who has committed a road traffic offence. 

The cops flash their blues and twos and pull the driver over for a chat.  

Breath tests are now requested from all drivers who commit a moving road traffic offence, irrespective of whether or not they’re suspected of a drink driving offence, during December as part of the campaign. 

Special constables driving in Poole (Image: Daily Echo)

The male driver blew into the breathalyser and he failed. He is arrested and taken to the police station. 

A further test on a calibrated machine reveals he is under Dorset Police’s prosecutable limit of 40 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath and he is free to go. 

Special constable Matt Blackman said: “The signs we look out for with suspected drink drivers are the vehicle going too fast or too slow or the manner of the driving.  

A man being breathalysed (Image: Daily Echo)

“If the vehicle has got defective lights, it’s a reason to stop them and first of all deal with the offence you see, but then the conversation afterwards can also lead on to discovering if they are on drink or drugs.” 

On the patrol, another car known to police was pulled over where suspected drug paraphernalia was found in the vehicle. 

Sergeant Lee Savage, on the No Excuse team, said: “We conducted a search, there has been a positive drug wipe and the male driver has been arrested for that among other offences such as possession of cannabis. 

Inside the custody room being checked in (Image: Daily Echo)

“Regularly what we see at road traffic collisions is that alcohol is a factor in the cause and this is something that, in terms of road safety as a whole, we need to clamp down on. 

“If you’re out drink and drug driving, there is a very good chance that you will be pulled over.” 

Throughout the night, a team of around 20 police officers and special constables were kept very busy, pulling people over. 

A driver being spoken to (Image: Daily Echo)

Dorset’s PCC David Sidwick, present at the patrol, said: “The police family in Dorset is absolutely committed to keeping people safe. 

“We have people here who are carers, people who work for tech companies and in their spare time they give something back to the community as a special constable, helping Dorset Police keep us safe.”