KEY POINTS:
The Government is looking at law changes to create a new boy racer-related offence and will give police powers to take cars off repeat offenders.
Prime Minister John Key said changes could be implemented within six months and would concentrate on powers to cancel driver's licences and take
offenders' cars.
Police Commissioner Howard Broad said his officers would be taking "emphatic action" against boy racers.
Mr Broad, Police Minister Judith Collins and Transport Minister Steven Joyce met yesterday to talk about the problem, highlighted by an attack on a Christchurch police officer.
Sergeant Nigel Armstrong was shot at by an air rifle and surrounded by boy racers.
Mr Armstrong said the drivers were listening to police scanners and were waiting for him. They blocked his retreat before throwing bottles, then fired an air rifle.
Ms Collins visited Christchurch yesterday and said the idea of car-crushing was discussed at a meeting with senior police.
"That's certainly something we would be looking at for repeat offenders who just do not get the message, and for those people they need to understand we are not going to put up with that kind of behaviour."
Ms Collins said measures had to be strong.
"We've got some people who think they are above the law and they don't actually care about the public, they don't care about the police, they actually only care about one thing and that's their car."
Mr Joyce said the Government had a number of possible law changes to consider.
"Car crushing is one but there are a number of other ones that we can look into."
Police want a cease and desist order, similar to the law in Scotland. It would require a new offence of vehicle disorder - using a vehicle in a way that distressed the public. A notice would be issued, and if offenders breached it within two years they could be jailed for three months or fined $2000, disqualified from driving for six months and have their vehicle impounded for up to 28 days.
Any subsequent offences would see an increased disqualification period or even a court-ordered confiscation of their vehicle.
Other changes police wanted included licence suspension for failure to pay fines, increased demerit point penalties for speeding, and serious penalties for failing to stop for police.
Mr Broad said the cease and desist order was attractive because it was a targeted approach. Any ban of groups gathering together could raise human rights issues.
"One of the risks here is we bring in a rule that has a wider application than we would want." The boy-racer problem was worst in South Auckland and Christchurch.
Mr Broad said Counties Manukau and Canterbury police were not failing to enforce present law.
"What seems to be the case though is this is being treated as a game by those involved." Police can impound cars and in some serious cases sell them. However, a loophole allows the offender to sell the car first and pocket the proceeds.
Mr Key said it would take four to six weeks to draft legislation, which could pass within six months.
"We are not going to put up with what we saw in Christchurch."
- NZPA
