SA Police pull over motorists to tell them “Well done”
April 8, 2009 by Karl Peskett
According to South Australian Road Safety Minister, Tom Koutsantonis, police have been stopping motorists to congratulate them on their driving habits.
An online journal said that there were 45,000 more traffic stops than last year, which prompted Mr Koutsantonis to comment on the situation.
“Sometimes they (police) pull people over and tell them they’ve been doing a good job driving,” he said on Adelaide radio.
But the opposition in SA said that was not what police should be doing with their time, labelling it “absolutely ridiculous”.
“Police resources should be used to halt the rise in violent crime and to eradicate organised crime in SA, not on pulling over law-abiding South Australians,” said opposition police spokesman David Ridgway.
“I want the minister to tell the SA community how many people over in the past 12 months have been pulled over by police officers to be told they are doing the right thing.”
What do you think? Should positive re-inforcement be used as a police tactic?
Source: News.com.au
Print it: 
Maybe they can just type that message on their external screens? I think its a bit much pulling people over. Especially when the taxpayer is paying for it. I would want my cash better spent.
This reinforces my idea that cops have no idea about the flow of traffic.
I fundamentally do not agree with the cops pullling fiolk over to pat backs. On the freeways it will immediately put overyone in danger of being struck. Yes they should pull bad drivers (lane hoggers, failing to indicate, smoking eating etc etc) and have a word with them instead.
Yeah Police, we don’t want that. What if I’m driving to my father’s death bed and waste five minutes being told what a good job I’m doing and then I get there and “Sorry, you’ve just missed him.” Could happen.
Remember when the Police used to solve crimes. Those were good days.
why dont they complete the process and duly hand back demerit points or issue bonus ones otherwise its a pretty hollow pat on the back.
sit, SIT. good dog rover…..no i dont have any chewies for you though, heres a pat on the head instead.
sounds like quota filling to me.
Interesting?? My dad got pulled over in Holland and got told to drive faster when he was driving the legal speed limit. I think that police should get some special training to be aloud to pull over cars.
i agree with Devil666, although it is a good idea, they should type it on their display screens and watch out for real speeders.
I hate it when you get pulled up for no reason and spill yr beer when trying to hide it or stub out the reefer you just lit.
Geeze, they need to pull over wrongdoers instead.
Hmmm if I speed the cops are going to stop me, if I talk on the phone the cops are going to stop me, if I drive well they will now stop me! However if I drive along talking to my girlfriend weaving all over the road, not indicating, tailgaiting, lane hogging and driving slow in the fast lane I will be left alone! :-) Guess that is the real message we want sent out isn’t it????
What a load of BS.
This is a minister who has no clue trying to talk his way of of a difficult question.
In fact SA Police can NOT stop a motorist unless they have broken the law or reasonably expect that they are (seatbelt/DIU/mobile phone etc.)
Perhaps the minister was just trying to deflect attention away from the fact that SA Police have each had their ticketing quotas increased by 50%.
Instead of policing good behavior shouldn’t they be just pulling over the bad guys? I can’t see a driver with a life time of good habits about to go bad all of a sudden. If they insist on rewarding good drivers instead of a pat on the back maybe they could give out extra points on your license? Or a financial incentive? Or how about creating a personal counseling patrol, pulling people over for a hug, a friendly chat and to tell them everything’s going to be OK, you’re a good person and everyone loves you.
I would be pissed off if I got pulled over for no reason, what a waste of time for me and the police.
Isn’t the whole point of living in a free society the fact that if you’re just going about your business and abiding by the law you don’t have to have any contact with law enforcement agents?
Is it not illegal for police to stop you with their lights on if you have not broken the law?
hahaha lol swampdawg , even when driving on the speed limit to do my next armed rob I’ll have to hide my balaclava and pistoleros , damn you 5-0!
A SAPOL officer can stop you to conduct a licence check and confirm the driver of a motor vehicle or the person in charge of, or owner of a vehicle and the load of a vehicle. Before posting incorrect information which may lead to someone getting in trouble. Please just consult the SA Road Traffic Act and the SA Motor Vehicles Act. There are also provisions under the SA Summary Offences Act and Firearms Act where you can stop vehicle for checks only etc. I know I do it every day. Cheers.
Thanks James for the only sensible reply and restoring my faith in SA. I am planning a holiday to SA soon and nearly changed my mind when I read the ignorant and stupid answers on here. I hope that they arent reflecting the majority of people. I guess they figure that if you are a rapist, drug dealer, murderer, or lets just take it down a peg to a drink driver, disqualified driver, have a warrant etc that these people should be left alone as long as they arent breaking any road rules. Or maybe they just think these people dont drive cars?? Most of you seem to forget that driving a car is a priveledge not a right. You are members of society and the majority of us want the police to pull over people to then make sure they are doing the right thing. You will be the first people to winge when the SA police dont pull over a car because he hasnt broken a minor road rule only to have him kill your family 5 minutes later because he was a drink driver. Before you make some silly comment about he would be driving badly if over the limit then think again because only REALLY pissed drivers can be picked when driving in a straight line on a motorway and that doesnt mean when they turn into your street they will see your kid before its to late. If you dont want to get pulled over driving a car WALK!