Teaming up to carry out Operation JOINER are Leading Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from Casey Highway Patrol and sheriff’s officer Stephen Woodhouse. 56061
By Bridget Brady
A JOINT operation between police and sheriffs could signal double trouble for Casey motorists.
Members of Casey Highway Patrol have teamed up with the Sheriff’s Office to begin Operation JOINER, which started on Tuesday.
As part of the monthly operation, traffic police will conduct mobile patrols around Casey with a sheriff on board.
Leading Senior Constable Allen Inderwisch from Casey Highway Patrol said motorists should be aware every time they were pulled over by police there was a chance a sheriff could be with them.
“Just because you get pulled up by the police don’t assume it’s purely for police checks, there may also be a sheriff on board the vehicle,” Leading Sen Const Inderwisch said.
The sheriff can check for any unpaid fines from traffic infringements through to unpaid court fines and failing to complete community service hours. Leading Sen Const Inderwisch said the sheriff had the power serve a seven-day licence suspension notice, arrest or clamp a vehicle.
On Tuesday, motorists were nabbed for unregistered and unroadworthy vehicles as well as excessive speeds.
During the patrol the sheriff executed 40 warrants on drivers, totalling $13,347, and identified a further 43 warrants worth $11,496.
Leading Sen Const Inderwisch said a few motorists were surprised to see the sheriff on Tuesday.
“Quite a few people said to us ‘I’ve got some outstanding fines I haven’t paid yet’. They’ve been ducking and weaving from the sheriff and they’ve finally been caught up with,” he said.
Casey police trialled the operation for a few days earlier in the year, and found the partnership to be very successful.
“It’s a very effective way of utilising government resources to detect people who may be trying to avoid the sheriff.”
Operation JOINER will also be carried out at shopping centre car parks, where the sheriff has the capability of clamping vehicles.
“So don’t assume that if you see us you can ignore us.”
Leading Sen Const Inderwisch encouraged anyone with outstanding fines to contact the sheriff’s office, rather than waiting for the sheriff to catch up with them.
