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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/lta-traffic-police-will/1352610.html Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean said the Traffic Police and LTA will not accede to appeals for charges to be cancelled or waived unless there are "very strong extenuating factors". PHOTOS File photo: A traffic police officer on patrol (photo: Francine Lim, channelnewsasia.com) Enlarge Caption SINGAPORE: The Traffic Police received about 2,600 appeals for traffic-related offences each month in 2013, while the Land Transport Authority (LTA) received about 7,900 appeals for illegal parking offences over the same period. In a written reply to Parliamentary questions posed by MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Hri Kumar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean did not give figures on the number of successful appeals, but said that both the Traffic Police and LTA will not accede to appeals for charges to be cancelled or waived unless there are "very strong extenuating factors". DPM Teo also stressed that road users should be responsible and abide by traffic rules at all times, and that violations will be dealt with in accordance with the law. Parliament passes amendments to Road Traffic Act Tougher rules on the use of mobile devices have been passed, but some Members of Parliament called for even stricter laws. SINGAPORE: Amendments to the Road Traffic Act were passed in Parliament on Monday (Sep 8), tightening rules on the use of mobile phones while driving. But a motorist will still be able to use his mobile device if it is mounted on a hands-free holder, and this prompted several Members of Parliament (MPs) to suggest expanding the scope of the Act. Tougher rules on the use of mobile phones while driving make it illegal to not just call someone, but also to surf the internet, play games or check emails with a mobile device, including tablets. However, these rules only apply if the device is held in one hand while the vehicle is in motion, prompting several MPs to call for tougher laws. Mr Hri Kumar, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, said: “Everyone knows that using phones while driving is not safe, so we comfort ourselves by saying that we can use hands-free devices. But there are many studies which claim that using hands-free devices is equally dangerous as using handheld devices. This is because the real distraction is the phone conversation, and it matters less that you have both hands on the wheel." Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam added: “According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, a driver is 4.9 times more likely to get into an accident when using a mobile phone while driving. Even using a hands-free accessory is not much safer - it has been found to increase the risk (of an accident) by 3.8 times. “At a minimum, we should have a regulatory regime, where the most risky and distracting activities are clearly banned. While at the same time, the authorities constantly remind drivers through public education of the dangers of using their mobile phones while on the road.” TOUGHER RULES ON FOREIGN DRIVING LICENCES Rules on the use of foreign licences have also been toughened. Currently, people with foreign driving licences can drive for up to 12 months from the day they enter Singapore. From January 2016, foreigners will only be able to drive for six months from the day their work passes were issued. In addition, the new rules only apply to those who drive in the course of their work. S-Pass and Work Permit holders who wish to convert their foreign licences to a Class 3 licence will also need to take a practical driving test. They must also pass the basic theory test. Alternatively, they may choose to convert their licences to a Class 3C licence from June next year. If they do so, they need to pass only the basic theory test. OTHER CHANGES TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACT Those who drive light goods vehicles and small buses will be required to take the Practical Driving Test when renewing their licences. They will then be issued with a full Class 3 licence. Another change is in regard to a rule which requires vehicle owners to give the Traffic Police details of a traffic offence within seven days of receiving notice. Should the vehicle owner not comply, he would then be charged with failing to furnish the information. Under the proposed changes, the time for replying to a traffic infringement notice will be extended to 14 days - up from the current seven. But, should the vehicle owner still fail to do so within the time given, he will be presumed to have committed the offence himself, and will be charged accordingly. This is on top of charges for failing to furnish information. However, if the vehicle owner is able to prove that he was not driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, with documents showing he was overseas, for example, he may use it as evidence.

the fatal shooting news is a hotly discussed topic, should the officers open fire? do they need to aim at the head? and why need 3 shots? the guy is only armed with a box cutter. what would happen if this were to be in singapore? policeman here facing 200 rioters who burnt a few police car and ambulance did not even fire a shoot? mean their live not threatening at that moment?

I don't usually go to Stomp, but this is quite funny. http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/this-urban-jungle/you-won%E2%80%99t-believe-who-is-going-to-%E2%80%9Ckena-saman%E2%80%9D#xtor=CS1-2

Wah..........Soldiers and police fight man.................will this happen in SG!!!!............ Dozens of unidentified Army personnel surrounded the headquarters of the Riau Islands Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) in Batam, Riau Islands, opened fire and vandalized its facilities. The situation in Batam between 5 and 11 p.m. was tense as the soldiers refused to return to their barracks and hand over their weapons, defying orders from the Bukit Barisan Military Commander Maj. Gen. Winston Simanjuntak. Batam Deputy Governor Soerya Respationo and several journalists were caught in the cross fire as they remained inside the facilities after earlier attempts to settle the dispute failed. "The soldiers are firing at us. We're surrounded," said Soerya. The shooting ended at around 23:30 with hundreds of civilians storming the Brimob headquarters to lend their support for the police against the attacking soldiers. One soldier was rushed to a nearby hospital suffering from a gunshot wound. But several soldiers were seen roaming the streets searching out police officers, despite claims by Winston that the situation was under control. Earlier in the day, around 30 soldiers from the Tuah Sakti 134 Battalion in Batam, Riau Islands, had raided the Brimob headquarters. The clash was believed to have been related to the shooting of four Tuah Sakti Battalion members at the end of September during a police investigation into a fuel-hoarding case. After the initial attack, the elite police unit headquarters was guarded by a company of military police to prevent further clashes. Wira Pratama Military Commander chief Brig. Gen. Eko Margiyono told The Jakarta Post that the incident had begun with two Tuah Sakti Battalion members, identified as First Private Nuriyono and Chief Private Budiono, who were on their way to their lodgings located near the Brimob headquarters, after a roll call at the battalion to change their uniforms into plain clothes. "Many of our soldiers live outside the base. As they were filling up their motorcycle at a gas station, two Brimob members were also filling gas at the same place. They stared each other out causing offence, which then resulted in a fight," said Eko. According to Eko, the fight between the four men drew the attention of colleagues from both sides, and numbers rapidly grew. A group of around 30 Tuah Sakti Battalion soldiers gathered and planned to enter the Brimob base. "The moment I received information, I and the Batam 0316 Military Command chief headed to the Brimob base and held a meeting with its commander to settle the problem and instructed members of the military police to order the soldiers to return to their barracks," said Eko. According to Eko, his command was not heeded and some of the soldiers stormed into the Brimob barracks and a clinic located nearby. "They vandalized the barracks and a number of motorcycles. However, the situation has returned to normal and the soldiers have returned to their base," said Eko. earlier in the afternoon. He added that he had ordered all soldiers in the battalion to remain in their barracks. "Now, a military police company is securing the Brimob base. I assure you that today's incident had nothing to do with the earlier incident. This is purely staring at each other which resulted in a fight," said Eko. - See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/fear-grips-batam-soldiers-attack-police-hq#sthash.0VaX6mpC.dpuf

Who wants to join or be the tester ?

FROM JAN 2015 Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee has been appointed as PUB's new Chief Executive. Mr Hoong Wee Teck, who is the Depity Commissioner (Investigations and Intelligence) will take over from Mr Ng. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/new-commissioner-of/1416414.html SINGAPORE: After nearly three decades serving in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Police Commissioner Ng Joo Hee is making a move to head National Water Agency PUB as Chief Executive with effect from Jan 6, 2015. The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) announced this in a media release on Wednesday (Oct 15). His predecessor, Mr Chew Men Leong took over as Chief Executive of the Land Transport Authority earlier this month. The 48-year-old Mr Ng will hold the concurrent appointment of Deputy Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the release said. He was appointed the Commissioner of Police in 2010 and was Director of the Singapore Prisons Service from 2007 to 2009. MHA said during Mr Ng's term as police chief, the crime rate in Singapore reached a 30-year low in 2013. In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs also praised Mr Ng for his "dedication and commitment to keeping Singapore safe and secure in his 29 years with the Singapore Police Force". "During his tour of duty as Commissioner of Police, he has made significant improvements to reduce crime and bring unlicensed money lending under control. He has also introduced various initiatives to increase the effectiveness of the force and to provide our Officers with more capabilities to carry out their duties, such as in Community Policing and the deployment of police cameras in our HDB estates to fight crime," he said. "Joo Hee has also played an active role to further strengthen the Singapore Police Force's partnership and collaboration with regional and international law enforcement agencies through joint operations and sharing of information to combat transnational crime," DPM Teo added. NEW COMMISSIONER OF POLICE APPOINTED Mr Hoong Wee Teck will succeed Mr Ng on Jan 6, 2015. He is currently the Deputy Commissioner (Investigations and Intelligence) and Director of the Criminal Investigation Department.The 51-year-old Mr Hoong has served 27 years in the police force holding various key appointments, including Commander of Bedok Police Division and Director of Police Intelligence. MEN AND WOMEN IN BLUE 'A REAL TREASURE': COMMISSIONER NG Mr Ng released a statement taking stock of his time in the force so far. He also revealed that when he became a police officer 29 years ago, it was simply to get a scholarship to attend Oxford University. "It was never my youthful ambition to become a cop. But I turned out to be a fairly decent policeman and am tremendously privileged and honoured to have been the police commissioner these past five years," he said. "My only motivation for coming to work every morning is the grave responsibility that I have for the 12,000 or so hardworking policemen and women in the SPF, and our collective mission for safeguarding public safety in Singapore. Our men and women in blue are a real treasure. Their daily toil often goes unappreciated, but is the stuff that produces the almost miraculous safety-from-crime that we enjoy every day. I only hope that my leadership has been worthy of their hard work and sacrifice."

Have you seen this? Goes to show that when drivers are distracted, accidents will almost surely happen. 'An advertising campaign showing a woman's breasts has been blamed for more than 500 traffic accidents in one day. The massive adverts placed on the side of 30 trucks driving around Moscow showed a woman's breasts cupped in her hands with the slogan 'They Attract' across her nipples.' Read more on the daily mail website - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2794312/advert-featuring-woman-s-breasts-causes-500-accidents-day-moscow-s-distracted-male-drivers.html

UK police increasingly asking victims to solve their own cases. Since, we don’t want this to happen to SG, thought it deserved a separate thread. http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/04/police-telling-victims-solve-crimes-themselves Crime victims are increasingly being told by some police forces to carry out their own investigations by speaking to neighbours, checking for CCTV images and seeing if their stolen property has been put up for sale on secondhand websites, the official police watchdog has warned. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary says that for some high-volume types of offences, such as car crime, criminal damage and non-residential burglaries, this "DIY" approach to tackling crime is an "emerging trend" among some forces. They warn that in areas where the police have given up investigating these offences, they are "on the verge of being decriminalised". The HMIC's report on the use of police time says that in too many cases once the victim had been asked to carry out their own investigation by police call handlers, the crime report was filed away without any further contact with the victim. "Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary finds this expectation by these forces that the victims should investigate his own crime both surprising and a matter of material concern. "The police have been given powers and resources to investigate crime by the public, and there should be no expectation on the part of the police that an inversion of that responsibility is acceptable," says the report published on Thursday. Inspector of Constabulary, Roger Baker, who led the inspection, said: "It's more a mindset that we no longer deal with these things. Effectively what's happened is, a number of crimes are on the verge of being decriminalised. So it's not the fault of the individual staff – it's a mindset thing that's crept in to policing to say, 'We've almost given up.'" He added: "When a crime has been committed, it's the job of the police service to go and find out who's done it and bring them to justice. They're the cops and we expect the cops to catch people, and my proposition to you is that unless you've got the powers of Mystic Meg or something like that, you not turning up and using your skills … it's going to be mightily difficult to bring people to justice." The report concludes that police desk-based investigations of crime are failing to serve the public and mean "little or nothing more than recording a crime without taking further action. The HMIC investigation found that it is still policy to send an officer to attend all reports of crime in only six of the 43 police forces in England and Wales. In the other 37 forces a call-handler uses set criteria to assess whether somebody should be sent. The watchdog says it is unacceptable that its investigation found nearly half the police forces were unable to provide any details of the reported crimes their officers had attended and that a third were failing to identify repeat and vulnerable victims when they rang to report an incident. Baker said that it was only by fully understanding how they use their staff that police forces could ensure that they were efficient and responsive: "We found that this vital element of evaluation and analysis is still lacking in the majority of forces, with fewer than a quarter of forces investigating demand in order to prioritise and organise their workforce. In this age of austerity it's more important than ever that forces understand how to prioritise their resources." Irene Curtis, president of the Police Superintendents' Association responding to the report said forces had made significant efforts to protect the frontline in the face of cuts but it appeared "some of the basic functions of policing appear to be slipping through the cracks in some areas." She said: "The public and victims of crime in particular deserve the highest standard of service from the police, wherever they live, so it's important that these issues are addressed and forces must learn from the many examples of good practice highlighted in the report."

Now you can get police to do this for you?? since when they bother to do such thing?

body found this morning

Get caught by Jaybee police yesterday morning for beating red light at the traffic junction behind CIQ shell station.If you drive this place before,along the carwash station where the road has just been patched after so long donkey years which lead to the CIQ by bridge.How much compound should I get for the offence and period of payment need to settled.Any website available to check your offence in JB?

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/courts-crime/story/two-students-who-found-and-removed-discarded-ballot-boxes-counsell Oh wow, somebody screwed up leaving important stuffs lying around and they blame the students.

Quite often saw 'police car' use normal plate escort 'cd' or 'q' plate this 'police' car so far i saw only volvo xc90 or land rover freelander 2 with blue-red light + police sign inside the behind window car. what i keep thinking, is this real police car, why: - use normal plate, instead q plate? - the blue-red light inside the behind window car instead outside top roof? - the police sticker also inside window, not at body of car. and of course, the driver always have pole position in need for speed/ f1 / racing ps3/ xbox games

From its unique architecture to its amazing skyline and eyewatering prices, the United Arab Emirate of Dubai has always done things very differently. Never afraid to flash its excess wealth, and famed worldwide for its conspicuous consumption, it’s no surprise that the local constabulary has accumulated the most exotic stable of police cars in the world. Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Ferrari and more... it’s every petrolhead’s wishlist of motoring exotica, but a daily drive from some for the lucky officers serving in the desert. We take a look at the cars that will be on your tail if you’re foolish enough to consider speeding in Dubai, the land where the PCs most certainly aren’t plodders... BMW M6 Gran Coupe Engine: 4.4 V8, 552bhp | Top speed: 250km/h | 0-100km/h: 4.1 secs A relatively tame part of Dubai Police’s fleet, but BMW’s legendary ‘M’ badge signifies there’s no shortage of power. With a 4.4-litre V8, the M6 Gran Coupe is propelled from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds, on its way to a limited top speed of 250km/h. At just under £100,000, this is one of the cheaper cars on the fleet, but rest assured those sumptuous leather seats will keep criminals comfortable. Mercedes SLS AMG Engine: 6.2 V8, 591bhp - Top speed: 320km/h - 0-100km/h: 3.7 secs As supercars go, few would deny that the Mercedes SLS AMG is a work of art, with its generously proportioned front end sweeping back to a dramatic set of gullwing doors. The Mercedes produces almost 600bhp from a 6.2-litre V8, and is capable of nearly 320km/h, doing 0-100km/h in under four seconds. Now where do the bad guys sit? Lamborghini Aventador Engine: 6.5 V12, 690bhp | Top speed: 350km/h | 0-100km/h: 2.9 secs A product of Lamborghini’s famous factory at Sant’Agata, the Aventador is striking in every way. Its rakish lines and aggressively flared arches and intakes give it a presence few cars can match. And with a massive 690bhp from the 6.5-litre V12 engine, this bull can charge to 350km/h and from 0-100km/h in a mightily impressive 2.9 seconds. But at £265,900, it’s definitely no cheap thrill. Aston Martin One-77 Engine: 7.3 V12, 750bhp | Top speed: 354km/h | 0-100km/h: 3.7 secs This is as special as they come from the legendary British maker. As the name suggests, the Aston Martin One-77 was a limited release of just 77 models worldwide. Beautifully hand-crafted materials and an obsessive attention to detail mark the car out. It’s no slouch, either, with 750bhp from a V12 and a top speed of 354km/h. The force’s accountant may be concerned at the £1,150,000 price tag, though. Ferrari FF Engine: 6.2 V12, 651bhp -| Top speed: 335km/h | 0-100km/h: 3.7 secs Practical and Ferrari are two words you rarely hear in the same sentence. The Ferrari FF is an exception, though, because it is a genuinely practical supercar with space for four occupants in a shooting brake bodystyle – the perfect choice for transporting criminals to the station quickly, thanks to its 651bhp V12 engine. Another costly addition to the Dubai police fleet. Bentley Continental GT Engine: 6.0 W12, 567bhp | Top speed: 317km/h | 0-100km/h: 4.3 secs Another British car, the Bentley Continental GT is a fine choice due to its superb refinement and quality. It’s hand-made at Bentley’s famous Crewe factory, and every effort is made to produce the perfect car, tailored to buyers’ every request. The 6.0-litre W12 engine catapults the car to just shy of 321km/h, and dispatches the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.3 seconds. Ford Shelby Mustang Roush Edition Engine: 5.0 V8, 575bhp | Top speed: 236km/h | 0-100km/h: 4.5 secs The Ford Mustang costs small change in relation to the other cars on the fleet, but doesn’t disappoint. This ‘pony car’ is more of a cobra, something its Shelby badge backs up. Modifier Roush has added even more power to the Ford, which features a highly tuned 5.0-litre V8. This pushes out 575bhp and gets the car from 0-100km/h quicker than the Bentley. It costs under a third of the price of its British rival, so what’s not to like? Whether it's for practical or publicity purposes, do you think it makes sense for the Dubai police force to run such an incredible fleet of supercars? What would the response of our tax payers be if Singapore police force attempted the same thing?

kaoz... wu ya boh? next time will see a PRC/pinoy mata arresting a local?? i strongly object

Saw an accident today (7-May-2014) around 4.50pm along PIE, near exit 26B. From my view, involved two heavy vehicles. I wonder why the car with siren (police or atos?) didn't stop to offer assistance but sped off? Caught by in-car camera http://youtu.be/g8wA7Lb1tu4

as per topic above. Total 46 Singapore registered sport cars with the Malaysia Traffic police help to "open' the road.. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152233362768006

Hoho......finally lim kopi liao. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/police-investigating/861958.html SINGAPORE: Police say they are investigating a case of road rage along Keppel Bay Drive last month, as well as the case of a cyclist who was captured on video stopping traffic along Keppel Road. The comment follows a Facebook posting by Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Health Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim earlier on Friday. Dr Faishal said he had been asked for his opinion about the recent incidents involving a cyclist and other motorists. He added that police are already investigating both incidents. In a response on Friday, police say they received a call at about 7.44am on September 16 for assistance along Keppel Bay Drive. When they arrived, it was established that an alleged case of road rage had occurred. As for the case of the cyclist in the video which has gone viral, traffic police are investigating the case. They have contacted the cyclist concerned. Police say appropriate actions will be taken against the parties involved if they are found to have flouted any rules. - CNA/gn

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/first-five-digital/1014806.html First five digital traffic red light cameras start operations on Mar 1 The new digital cameras do not require constant reloading and retrieval of the wet-film negatives for back-end processing, and are designed to stay operational 24/7 to detect motorists who attempt to beat the red light. SINGAPORE: The first five of the digital traffic red light cameras installed by the Traffic Police will start operations on March 1. The Traffic Police said last December that it has started installation and testing process for the first five units of the Digital Traffic Red Light Camera System at the following locations: - Victoria Street by Arab Street towards Lavender Street - Victoria Street by Ophir Road towards Bras Basah Road - Victoria Street by Rochor Road towards Lavender Street - Lavender Street by Jalan Besar towards Balestier Road - Ophir Road by Beach Road towards ECP Police said these five units have all been installed at the respective locations and will begin operations from 1 March 2014 at 0001 hours onwards. The new digital cameras do not require constant reloading and retrieval of the wet-film negatives for back-end processing, and are designed to stay operational 24/7 to detect motorists who attempt to beat the red light. The Traffic Police also reminded motorists that beating a red light attracts a fine and 12 demerit points against the traffic offender. Those who beat the red light twice within 24 months will have their licence suspended as they would have accumulated 24 demerit points. - CNA/de

Video catches grenade exploding in Bangkok as riot police try to kick it away http://youtu.be/JC21FhYgP9s

Dubai has long been associated with supercars and the rich. Even their police have supercars to patrol around in. On the topic of being rich, we all seemed to forget that many folks with normal levels of income still do exist. So it took us by surprise to hear that Dubai's director general, Hussain Lootah, wanting to keep normal people off the road so that they do not clog up the roads. Reason being, the rich are not happy their cars can’t stretch their legs with such congested roads. But why to such an extreme measure? Because Lootah does not believe in car-pooling, reduced car use or any other measures. Reason being Dubai, with more than 200 different nationalities among its residents, would invalidate any possible awareness programs. If this rule does become a reality, those affected are likely to be from the lower and middle income range. And if it does not, a rise in fuel prices, toll roads fees and other running costs incurred, would come true. As an alternative to driving, Dubai is trying to improve its public transport system and foresees an increase in use of the mass transit system which will began testing soon. For those willing to pay, more taxis and “luxury buses” will be available too. So should we be glad we don’t have to face such restrictions here?

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/police-thorough-probing-teresa-kok-video-clip-says-054234092.html [media][/media] The police will be thorough in their investigation of a statement by Seputeh MP Teresa Kok (pic) in a video clip that is alleged to be defamatory, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. He said that if the police found that Kok had breached the law and the attorney general was convinced that there was sufficient evidence against her, then the case would be brought to court. "But if there is no breach of the law, then the AG will take no further action. "Then nobody should say the police and the AG are weak because if the case goes to court and is thrown out, then the AG and the police will look foolish," he told reporters today. Kok had claimed that the video, Onederful Malaysia CNY2014, uploaded on social media on January 27 was a satirical one and that it did not insult anyone. Federal Internal Security and Public Order director Datuk Seri Salleh Mat Rashid had said that the police would look into the allegedly defamatory video clip. Wan Junaidi said MPs had a certain amount of privilege when speaking in parliament but had to observe their limitations when saying anything outside the august house. - Bernama, February 3, 2014.

Heng ah.......if not have to say hello to Cow and horse. see the video in the stomp link ======================================= http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/this-urban-jungle/what-a-close-shave-for-auxiliary-police-officer-he-nearly-gets-hit-by-oncoming An auxiliary police officer had his lucky stars to thank for him coming out unscathed after he fell off his motorcycle on the Pan Island Expressway (PIE). In an online video dated Jan 22, the officer first appears cruising down the leftmost lane of the expressway before overtaking a van beside him and filtering out to the lane it was on. Suddenly, the officer lost control of his bike then, forcing the van to swerve right to avoid running him over. If he thought that was the luckiest he could have gotten, he would be proved wrong at the very next moment. For the impact of the accident left him rolling onto another lane, and onto the path of a car, which had an dashboard camera that captured the entire accident. Fortunately, the driver was able to come to a complete halt, with just metres between the officer and the car.

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/singapore-police-force-seeks-gizmo-packed-patrol-car-20130915 15/9/13 Singapore Police Force seeks gizmo-packed patrol car Car for next decade should project 'advanced, futuristic and formidable police force' The Singapore Police Force wants to develop a high-tech, fast- response patrol car equipped to help officers spot wanted vehicles and even track down a motorist who speeds away. According to tender documents, the car to be used over the next decade should project "an advanced, futuristic and formidable police force". Based on requirements listed, future patrol cars could boast an array of new technology. Each car is likely to have GPS navigation and an in-vehicle video system that allows recording in four directions. Among the more unusual features the police are keen to add is an automated number plate recognition system. This will allow officers on patrol to screen the licence plates of moving or stationary vehicles to identify any that may have been stolen or are being driven by criminals. Such systems are already in use in California and Texas in the United States. Another new feature may be a locator tracker that will enable officers to track a wanted vehicle, even if the driver speeds off. The requirements also include shatter-resistant windscreens that can withstand repeated, forceful impact from blunt objects and exterior mounted lights for operations in dimly lit areas. Other requirements requested by police include a night vision thermal imager and a mobile infrared transmitter to control traffic lights. Police displayed a prototype of a next-generation fast response car last year at its workplan seminar. It featured rear seats made out of plastic similar to those found in MRT trains to prevent suspects from concealing weapons or discarding evidence in the upholstery. The future patrol car should be a vehicle with an engine capacity of two to three litres, according to documents. The request for information exercise closes on Oct 4.

The Ops Cantas Khas Trafik crackdown has already begun with the police rounding up habitual traffic offenders first. The operation commenced in Ipoh and saw traffic policemen going “door to door” to bring in motorists with more than two warrants of arrests and more than 15 unsettled summonses. The first operation was conducted between 3pm and 6pm on Thurs­day. Nationwide operations, which will see the police stopping motorist­s at roadblocks, will commence next week. “We are targeting the habitual offenders first,” Acting Federal Traffic chief Senior Asst Comm Mohd Fuad Abd Latiff told The Star yesterday. He advised the public not to be alarmed as the habitual offenders would still be given a chance to settle the summonses despite being picked up. “The objective of the operation is to get the offenders to pay up,” he stressed. SAC Mohd Fuad said the police had prepared the warrants of arrest for 251,000 traffic offenders. “We are going ahead with roadblocks mounted nationwide to arrest errant vehicle users from next week. “After being arrested at a roadblock, the motorist will be brought to the police station and if he or she refuses to pay the summons, the person will be released on police bail with one surety,” he said, adding that the police would then apply for a new court date for the individual to either challenge the case or plead for a lower fine. He said all preparations ahead of starting the roadblocks had been completed. “We want to ensure that all state police contingents will be ready to carry out the operations successfully,” he said. Asked about public complaints over difficulties in checking summonses on the official police online portal, SAC Mohd Fuad said there were many alternatives to do so, including through www.myeg.com.my, www.rilek.com.my, post offices and at Maybank ATMs. “The public can check at selected shopping malls or go straight to any traffic police counter. They can even check at the Road Transport Depart­ment branches,” he said. It was previously reported that the number of traffic offenders had been growing each year and along with that the number of motorists who were ignoring their summonses. In 2008, traffic police went after 96,000 vehicle users with unsettled summonses under Ops Warta VII but as of now, the figure had shot up to more than 1.7 million. Unable to go after all of them at once, police are targeting over 251,000 errant motorists, heavy vehicle drivers and motorcyclists in the first stage of Ops Cantas Khas Trafik. Notices are being sent out to the offenders, warning them that warrants of arrest have been issued. At the same time, expired warrants are being renewed. Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2013/11/23/Crackdown-begins-in-Ipoh-Police-mount-first-operation-to-round-up-traffic-offenders.aspx