Cop sacked for handing out small fines

[DEN MONKEY]

Well, what's your opinion ?

A soft-hearted Victorian policeman has been sacked for using discretion to 'go easy' on speeding drivers and handing out smaller fines than he was supposed to.

Sergeant Mark Ashton, an officer with more than 30 years experience, was dismissed by Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay this week.

While Sgt Ashton might have been popular with the motorists he crossed paths with, Victoria Police accused him of "bringing the force into disrepute".

The police union says the Avondale Heights officer is believed to have booked about 500 people over two years with only two or three of them having re-offended, police data shows.

If a motorist was caught driving 80km/h in a 60km/h speed zone, the sergeant allegedly falsely increased the speed limit to 70km/h so the driver would be fined less and receive one instead of three demerit points off his licence.

Sgt Ashton is appealing his sacking at the police appeals board and had been suspended for 15 months before being sacked this week, said Police Association secretary Senior Sergeant Greg Davies.

The decision to sack Sgt Ashton was very harsh and he should have been punished instead, since the practise of discretion was common and widespread, Snr Sgt Davies told AAP.

"It could have been dealt with in a different way and much more expeditiously," he said.

"They have lost an experienced sergeant.

"He should have been back at work, the force could have rapped him over the knuckles and told him to do his job properly."

A police spokeswoman said Sgt Ashton had been dismissed following an Ethical Standards Department investigation into allegations of misconduct and perverting the course of justice.

Victoria Police argue that Mr Lay sacked the officer because he had been dishonest about what he was doing.

It is understood Mr Lay pointed out to Sgt Ashton, who could not be contacted on Wednesday, that a motorist could have challenged the penalties in a court, forcing him to explain his actions.

"All police officers are entitled to use discretionary powers when handling speeding offences, whether that be through the issue of infringement notices, cautions or other form of lawful action," the spokeswoman said.

"However, we expect that the exercise of this discretion must be transparent and open to scrutiny."

There is no suggestion of any corrupt activity or that Sgt Ashton obtained any financial advantage during his "solid" career as a police officer, the only job he has had, Sen Sgt Davies said

Clip HERE
____________________
meh

[neil.]

Disciplinary perhaps, sacking, no. Yet another example of this stupid brainless country you have eh? Spawned from our stupid brainless country...
____________________
CBT February 2008 | A2 June 2008 | Yamaha YBR125 (written off) | Honda CBF125 (current)

[DEN MONKEY]

[neil.]

[colin1]

I think the police need to adjust the way they respond to policemen doing something wrong.

Killing a Brazilian on the tube-no police officer fired, no police officer punished.

One police officer lying to let people off with reduced punishment for speeding- he's fired.

Hmmm
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god

[the grim reaper]

I thought the whole speeding thing was supposed to be discretionary anyway? Maybe it's different in Aus but in the UK I have been 'let off' with 3 points for 105mph in a 70 limit, mainly because the copper could tell I wasn't a prat and only did it because a plank in the inside lane put their foot down while I was performing a perfectly OK overtake.

If Police lose their ability to use discretion then we might as well do what the politicians want, get rid of them all and have millions of speed camers.

Cheers

Grim
____________________
Adverts don't always work: Remember that advert, where the army are running across the desert and they have a wounded man on a stretcher. They get to a ravine, the bridge is down and a caption pops up that says, 'What are you thinking?'. I don't know about you but I was thinking, 'Christ, I'm glad I'm not in the f***ing army'.

[iooi]

I think what really shot him down was the fact he altered the speed limit of the road. Rather than knocking their speed down.
Which could have seen people take it to court and plead that the officer did not know what the limit was.

We all know how a good legal eagle can get you off if something is not right about the ticket in the UK... Don't know if that would apply out in the colonies though...

Tough on him.

I don't get how him altering the tickets made people re-offend less though, or did he simply not ticket them if he had done it once.
____________________
Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[locked]

Sacking him was a bit harsh.
____________________
on the look out for my next bike....
CBT Passed - 13/09/09 Theroy Passed - 19/12/09 Mod 1 Passed 04/05/10 Mod 2 Passed 14/05/10 - Free to ride ANYTHING!
Motorcycles are perfectly safe as long as you remember they're dangerous.

[D O G]

I'm astonished that this happened - he must be the only Aussie traffic cop who will use their descretion. I certainly never met any.

But, as they say over there - "Every K over is a KILLER".

Must keep the propoganda machine working, can't have someone treating speeding as a minor offence now, can we?

[The Original Muzza]

He might be out of an income, but I doubt he'll be lacking in free pints coming his way.
____________________
Current Bikes: Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 (2020)
Former Bikes: Honda MSX125 (2014), BMW Funduro (1996), Honda VT500 (1983), Yamaha FZR250 (1989), Suzuki GZ125 Marauder(2005),:Triumph TT600 (2002) (stolen)
From then on, I and the bicycle feelings deeper.

[swampy]

When I saw it was a Victorian policeman, I was expecting gas lamps, whistles and muttonchop whiskers. Surely he should have been hunting Jack the Ripper rather than fining motorists ?
____________________
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." Hunter S Thompson
"Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death..." Hunter S Thompson

[Wozza]

No opinion - not enough information and the article is baised.

[southglasgow]

Ahh, swampy beat me to it.
Still, those old steam trucks could fair move, so no doubt a oldie fangled carriage could do the same.
____________________
CBT June 09 - Kymco KR 125 July 09 -> Sept 09. Suzuki RV125 June 10 -> Theory June 13, MOD 1 July 13, MOD 2 August 13. Woohoo -> April 14. Yamaha XJ6N.

[wupwup]

the worlds turning to shit and theres nothing we can do.

[Nixon]

Dirty lying scandalous bastard!! Deserves to be sacked! Its one thing to use discretion to let people off ... but deliberately lying and falsifying records .... are you honestly suggesting that these are the people who we need in our police forces??

If he is willing to lie about a speed limit, then what else will he lie about?? its only a sentence between "he punched me first so i went to town on him with my truncen"

Its simple we don't need liars in the police!

[G]

I'm not sure there's a big number of 'these people' in our police forces, what with them being the other side of the world .

Regardless, police are people. That means they will bend the truth and lie. Unlikely to be able to employ a large number of people without that happening, especially not with the rewards they are offered for it. I'd much prefer to have police that use 'their judgement' in ways that benefit me, rather than those following the book trying to find any way they can to prosecute me following the rules and being 'truthful' regardless of my guilt.

[MarJay]