Editorial: It’s time to ramp up the response to violent boy-racer meets

Shocking footage has emerged online of a ute ramming a police car during a boy-racer meet up in Hamilton.

EDITORIAL

The violent disorder over the weekend at a “boy-racer” meet should kick the Police Minister into gear and push him to get tougher on anti-social road users.

Four police cars were damaged – including one that was reversed into at speed – during what officers described as a “hostile and violent” event in Hamilton on Saturday.

Police arrested an 18-year-old man yesterday but no doubt got very little co-operation from those who gathered (an alleged organiser of the meet-up reposted the video to social media and said he “hoped the [officers] got whiplash”).

The fact the meeting was described as the “Hamilton invasion” tells you all you need to know about the intentions of at least some participants.

It’s the second time in the past few months violence has been directed towards police at these events.

In June, two police officers suffered injuries in Levin after they were pelted with rocks and bottles while attending the scene of a large car meet.

It’s not just officers who get injured – later in June a teenager lost his leg after he was struck by a skidding car at a Foxton burnout meet.

Since the melee in Levin, police have been out in force at meets, cracking down and fining non-compliant drivers.

At the “Hamilton invasion” on Saturday, police were reportedly stopping and checking drivers’ licences and seat-belt compliance.

The violence directed at them suggests a more comprehensive response is needed.

The Police Association says boy-racer meet-ups are becoming increasingly violent and it’s now a matter of time until someone is killed.

Association president Chris Cahill says the events have evolved from mere gatherings where participants engage in dangerous driving to deliberately orchestrated incidents aimed at provoking and attacking police officers.

He is calling on the courts to send a clear message to anyone convicted of violent offending like that seen in Hamilton.

“They’re going beyond motor vehicle meets, where people just break the law in a driving manner that actually become deliberate events where they assault police, attack police.”

After officers were injured in June, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he planned to raise the possibility of introducing legislation about impounding cars with the Minister of Transport. Mitchell believed current legislation allowed seized cars to be returned after some time.

“I want to seize the vehicles and keep them,” Mitchell said.

Events in Hamilton over the weekend show the minister needs to escalate those plans and do all in his power to stop boy racers in their tracks.