By Laura Wakely
BRIMBANK’S Highway Patrol is on the roads 20 hours a day, seven days a week and is one of the busiest units in the state.
The man at the helm of Melbourne’s biggest Highway Patrol team is Sergeant Rod Stein, an officer with 40 years of experience, with around half of those served on Brimbank’s roads.
“We’re responsible for all traffic incidents,” Sgt Stein said.
“Our main role is road trauma reduction, but we’re also involved in enforcement, education and the proactive side of it.”
Brimbank Police Service Area (PSA) was recently revealed as having impounded more vehicles than any other PSA, with 86 since new anti-hoon laws were introduced on 1 July this year (Brimbank’s hoon problem, 19 October, Star).
“We’ve seized cars off kids from 16 years to 50 years of age,” Sgt
Stein said.
“The only thing that’s common is 95 per cent are males.”
While hooning is a huge issue for the Patrol, it’s not at the top of Sgt Stein’s list.
“Our main problem in Brimbank is volume (of vehicles),” he said.
“It causes congestion, it causes frustration and that causes problems.
“We’ve got five major roads in Brimbank – Melton Highway, Western Ring Rd, Calder Freeway, Princes Highway and Ballarat Rd.”
The congestion is compounded by level crossings on Main Rd and Furlong Rd in St Albans, Robinsons Rd in Deer Park, Fitzgerald Rd in Ardeer and Anderson Rd in Sunshine.
The Brimbank Highway Patrol have begun their third annual operation to make sure pedestrians and traffic are moving safely around the St Albans level crossings.
“My message to all motorists is to think calm blue oceans,” Sgt Stein said.
“You’re going to get home, you’re going to get through the traffic – it just might take a while.”
But road rage and congestion don’t mean Sgt Stein and his team give hoon drivers a free ride.
In fact, he said police were targeting hooning “aggressively”.
Patrols are constantly on the watch for drivers doing the wrong thing and visit local schools regularly to talk to young drivers about the consequences of hooning.
For the Brimbank Highway Patrol, it’s all in a day’s work.
