Police Report

16 January 2025

Hope you both had a good Christmas and new year. Here is the Police news for this week:

Mel has finished her deployment and returned to the mainland;
2 new members, Andrew (and his wife) and Cass who is back after she spent a couple of months here last year, I’m sure everyone will make them feel welcome

The Police had a great Christmas, which means we had a quiet one. J
On a more serious note, we are asking that the community pay particular attention to driving behaviour and the roads;

There was an incident last weekend which, thankfully, did not result in any serious injury but that was only by pure luck. The community is very lucky that we didn’t have 3 severely injured young people or worse, it could easily have been another road fatality.
Everyone knows the roads on Norfolk and it is the driver or riders responsibility to drive/ride to the conditions of the road and within their own capabilities.

Parents need to exercise some form of control over their children and their behaviour while they are on the roads. Education starts at home and is ultimately the responsibility of the parents.
When your children are on their L plates, it is your opportunity, I would call it your obligation, as parents to teach your children how to safely operate a vehicle on Norfolk’s roads.
Children mimic the behaviour of their parents – wear your seatbelt, stick to the posted speed limit, come to a complete stop at stop signs – these are all behaviours which could improve on the island and which young people will copy.

Be aware that due to the increased incidents of young people not displaying P plates or L plates, carrying too many passengers which is a violation of their licence conditions, not complying with their curfew and not actually carrying their driver licence on them when they are driving, the NIPF are going to conduct a traffic blitz and all drivers on the road are able to be pulled over and checked:

Carry your driver licence on you when you are driving/riding;
Wear your seatbelt and make sure all passengers are wearing theirs;
Ensure children are appropriately restrained, it is not good enough to have them sit on someone’s lap;
Ensure that the vehicle you are driving/riding is registered;
Do not drive/ride while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs;
Obey the speed limit and road signs;
Do not drive while holding a mobile phone, get a hands free kit.

These are all very simple things which are in place to keep the community and visitors safe. People die on Norfolk Island roads. I understand that some people may think I am being overly dramatic or blowing things out of proportion but I make no apology for what I have said today. With the driving behaviour we are seeing on the roads it is a matter of when we see another road fatality or serious injury, not if we see one.