Judith Collins says that respect for the law must be rebuilt after yet another Officer was attacked by a driver being breathalyser, and his thug passengers. No wonder Police say they have fears about the roadside impairment testing of drug drivers. Taser versus tweaker?

Candor Trust responds that respect for the law is unlikely to get a leg up when legislators offer the softest penalties for impaired driving, when Officers are asked to pull over cars containing "could care less" intoxicated thugs, and when the Police do not themselves have much of an image of enhancing road safety. Credibility issues are not helped by the cowboy culture and penalty less promotion of impaired driving.

It is very ripe for Collins to talk of increasing penalties for Officer attacks, when she has seen her Officers engaging in excess fatal pursuits, and defended this before full briefings, as they apparently ignore the recommendations of the recent Police Pursuits report.

This report cautioned against chasing young people and motorcyclists over minor infractions. When burnouts lead to Police chasing people to their death the safety of the community is clearly not taking priority, and the community can be expected to respond aggressively.

If Police are to regain respect they would do well to break their quota contract made with the Transport Minister. It is he not Collins who is holding the buck for turning Cops into quota driven revenue collectors. It is he who is contributing to the loss of safety and respect in a revenue go round in which road users are the biggest losers.

The answers are not rocket science. Do not chase drunks. Especially not to their or their hapless passengers deaths, then say on National television that speed killed. Reduce their chances of having vehicles by confiscating them permanently. This all but eliminated drunk driving in New York. Add random drug testing to checkpoints.

Increase and publicise an increased penalty for running from Police, as was long past recommended by Candor. In other words assert the law judiciously..

The way it is currently set up is to maximise drink and drug driving recidivism, so that revenue through drug possession busts at checkpoints and drunk tax fines keeps pumping. All of which puts New Zealands Police in more conflict with non deterred offenders than is civilised. They are not able to take care of road safety business and their image as professionals, and suffer undue danger as a result.