Wanted man arrested during traffic operation in Hemel Hempstead

Officers from the Special Constabulary arrested a wanted man and checked 6,400 vehicles during a four hour traffic operation in Hemel Hempstead.

Nine Specials used ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) technology to check passing vehicles and speak to motorists in Maylands Avenue, on Saturday, October 17.

Over the course of the day, six Traffic Offence Reports were issued for offences such as driving with a mobile phone, driving without insurance, having unsafe tyres and using excess speed.

Four Vehicle Defect Rectification Scheme notices were also handed out.

Each diesel vehicle that was stopped was subject to a dip test to check for illegal red diesel, but all tests proved negative.

One vehicle came to the Specials’ attention after they witnessed it making a rapid U-turn when the driver caught sight of officers.

The registration was noted and quickly shared with nearby Intervention officers who found the vehicle a short time later.

They signalled for it to stop and the driver was swiftly identified as wanted before being arrested. Further checks revealed that he had no insurance so the vehicle was seized at the roadside.

Special Inspector Richard Downs said: “This operation was a great learning platform for our newly attested Special Constables who embraced their roles head on and got stuck in – three of them less than a week after attestation.

“We all wore PPE and observed social distancing throughout, sanitising all driving licences before handing them back to the driver which was well received by motorists.

"We also had a sanitising station set up which members of the public could use if they felt the need to.

“We would also like to say thanks to the British Standards Institute for allowing us to use their side road for the operation, avoiding traffic congestion on the main carriageway.”

Dacorum Chief Inspector Craig Flint added: “I’d like to say a big thank you to our Specials for giving up their time to help us.

"These operations are often seen as penalising motorists as an easy target, however road users have a responsibility to ensure that their vehicles are safe for themselves and others.

“We understand this this sort of criminality is transient and we want to send a clear message to those travelling into our borough to commit crime that they should stay away.

"Anyone who ignores this should be prepared for our teams to proactively seek them out and ensure they are dealt with robustly.

“I hope that the results of this operation reassure the public that despite these challenging times, we are as committed as ever to ensuring that the Borough of Dacorum remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”

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Specials are part-time, voluntary police officers who have the same powers as their regular, full-time counterparts, including the power to arrest. They come from all walks of life and volunteer their spare time for a minimum of 16 hours a month.

They are highly trained and play an essential role in preventing, reducing and tackling crime and keeping the communities of Hertfordshire safe.

You can find out more and register your interest on the Hertfordshire Special Constabulary website.