Howard Broad

Auckland, Dec 10 NZPA - A return to specialist traffic police who can issue speeding tickets but will free up front line police for crime fighting is on the cards.

Police have been the only road traffic authority on the roads since 1992 when police and the Ministry of Transport merged, taking the black and white traffic officers' cars off the road.

Under the proposed scheme the new traffic enforcement officers would remain under the control of the police, the New Zealand Herald reported today.

Although they would have the power to stop cars, they would lack the powers of a sworn constable.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad told Parliament's law and order select committee yesterday he was "quite uncomfortable" with fully sworn police being used for road policing, as they were often just "sitting there with their radar gun".

He said he wanted to use laws that allowed him to designate traffic enforcement officers, and also make greater use of technology such as speed cameras for road policing.

He said police would then be freed for other duties, such as neighbourhood policing.

Non sworn police now operated speed camera vans but could not use radar guns which required a sworn police officer who had the power to stop a vehicle.

Police Association president Greg O'Connor said it was a "brave call" and an admission that the 1992 merger of Ministry of Transport officers with the police was wrong.