Guardia Civil Fed Up With Playing Nanny To Spain’s Speed Cameras

More fines, less cops, and a caller occupation cipher asked for.

The postulation section of Spain’s Guardia Civil is erstwhile again hitting nan brakes- not connected speeders, but connected what they telephone yet different absurd task handed down by nan DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico).

Once known for helping drivers and stopping vulnerable behaviour connected nan roads, postulation officers are now stuck playing postmen for fines and babysitters to velocity cameras. And according to reports, they’ve had enough.

From policing to photographing plates

The halfway complaint? Instead of stopping reckless drivers and informing motorists face-to-face, officers are progressively reduced to snapping number plates and letting nan good do nan talking.

In short, quality judgement and roadworthy information person taken a backmost seat. The result? Fewer interactions, much fines – and a increasing consciousness that postulation policing has turned into a mechanical money-making machine.

Now they’re velocity camera nannies, too

If that wasn’t enough, nan DGT has now ordered Guardia Civil officers to show and support roadside velocity cameras.

Officers must now cheque nan position of fixed radar units and log their information connected a tablet, according to reports. It’s a occupation much suited to a technician, yet it’s falling to frontline postulation police.

As numbers of postulation officers dwindle twelvemonth aft year, nan workload only increases. The role, erstwhile considered honourable, is now nan slightest requested duty successful nan full Guardia Civil.

Vandalism rising arsenic vexation boils over

Drivers, meanwhile, aren’t taking nan radar rampage lying down. In Spain – like successful France and Italy – vexation pinch hidden velocity traps and relentless fines has reached boiling point.

Social media is flooded pinch footage of velocity cameras being blown up, torched, aliases sliced cleanable disconnected their poles. And it’s not conscionable a one-off – this benignant of vandalism has go almost routine.

So wide is nan sabotage that, complete a twelvemonth ago, nan DGT commissioned reinforced anti-vandal radar boxes. These fortified metallic units travel complete pinch information glass, WiFi, ambiance control, and autonomous power.

Public information aliases good farming?

For galore officers, nan translator of their duties reflects a deeper issue: nan displacement from information to sanction.

Is Spain’s postulation policing strategy genuinely focused connected roadworthy safety – or is it conscionable good farming wrapped successful a hi-vis vest?

And pinch cameras now treated amended than nan officers themselves, it’s nary astonishment morale is scraping nan bottommost of nan tarmac.

Facts astatine a glance:

• Guardia Civil postulation officers now support fixed velocity cameras arsenic portion of their duties.
• Many drivers declare nan DGT’s methods attraction much connected reward than prevention.
• Spain has seen a emergence successful vandalism against velocity cameras, echoing trends successful France and Italy.
• The DGT has responded by rolling retired vandal-proof, steel-reinforced radar boxes pinch precocious features.

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