WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

ok i guess im either the only one, or the first to ask what is UDD...

Urgent Duty Driving

HPS wrote:I think magenta would be fine for Customs in WA.

From the DPI re: Magenta/Crimson lights

A magenta/crimson flashing lamp warns road users of the presence of a vehicle carrying out functions associated with the enforcement of statute laws.

Examples of these vehicles are Main Roads Road Transport Compliance Unit, CALM, Fisheries, and Mines Department vehicles. The lamps shall only be activated when the vehicle needs to warn the public of its presence.

Authorisation is required for vehicles not mentioned, specifically, in the Road Traffic Code or the Road Traffic (Vehicle Standards) Regulations. The Department will assess requests for authorisation on an individual basis. Suitable driver training in the safe and appropriate use of the lamps is required in all cases.

Does Customs meet this requirement of "enforcing statute laws"?

...

Dazla/JG-103

Customs would only be stopping and searching vehicles in Customs Controlled Areas such as ports or airports. From what I can gather Customs has Red+Blue in QLD, NSW, VIC and SA. Customs Officers are recognised (on the wharf at least) as Law Enforcement Officers so in the maritime (MSIC) environment Customs have siginificant powers.

In regards to Magenta lights I guess Customs could be covered by this, we had Magenta Lights when I was with the Heavies and I did not see anyone else that had them, except for a few Rangers who I made remove them.

Being a Federal Government Agency I thought they would have a uniform way of marking the vehicles across the country...

The only problem is if we have too many services with Red and Blue lights they will tend to lose their value in the Community. For anyone that has done UDD in the Community they would know that putting on a siren and flashing lights means bugger all to some people.

Here in WA the ACS (Australian Customs Service) do have some vehicles that use Red + Blues. Not all cars have them and not all ACS cars even have lightbars. The only cars i have seen with R+Bs have been K-9 vehicles.

Working in the Customs Department (for a International Freight company) I am working with ACS officers almost on a daily basis supervising container inspections and other freight inspections. Once down at a container Depot in Freo i was met by ACS K-9 officers who were driving a VZ commodore wagon (with Saxon the golden retriever in the back) with R+Bs. Im not sure if they have sirens fitted but i highly doubt it.

Next time i have to do an inspect. i will ask the officers if i can get a few snaps and maybe one of Saxon on the job

cheers - Donks

sweet would be good!!

Interesting, I know the ACS K-9 are often used on Police search warrants and other operations so they might have them for the occasional UDD run if required.

Donks

Interesting as far as I am aware the ACS DDU (Detecor Dog Unit) have unmarked vehicles. How many years ago did you see them down in Fremantle with Red + Blues?

I am almost certain that up until recently Customs WA didn't have approval from DPI to have Red + Blues. All of the marked patrol cars in fremantle have orange lightbars.

Dazla

I can't see Customs being involved in UDD driving, Customs would call in the AFP or WAPOL to deal with incidents such as vehicles which fail to stop in a Customs controlled area. The ACS DDU only conduct a search on a houses/vehicles after the baddies have been secured so they have plenty of time to get to a job and wouldn't need UDD.


Having said all that there is a marked moved towards a law enforcement focus in the ACS and in before the end of the year you will see armed customs officers patrolling the wharf in Fremantle.

Cheers,

HPS

why do customs officers need to be armed on the docks? I can understand gunships on the high seas but surely there is nowhere for crims to go on the docks. The less guns in the community the better.

I would think that there would be allot ports that crims would wan to get their hands on. Just think, the port is the major place where things freely go in and out of the country. The only thing standing in their way is the Customs Officers at the Ports.

Give them guns I say, but also give them more powers to deal with things themselves rather than doing the golden handball with everything that they find.

It seems that Customs just handball jobs off to other agencies such as the AFP, Quarantine and DIMA.