Cop reprimanded over sneaky tactic to catch speeding drivers

The Brisbane police officer who was caught crouching in bushes while operating a radar gun to nab speeding motorists has been reprimanded for his actions.

An eagle-eyed driver spotted the officer hiding in bushes while driving through Petrie, north of the city on Friday and posted the photos to Facebook.

The images showed the officer attempting to conceal himself on a median strip by ducking behind a pole and shrubbery as he pointed a speed radar gun at passing cars.

Queensland Police said they were aware of the photos and said the officer in question was ordered to “cease operating from that position immediately”.

“The deployment will be reviewed against the guidelines for the operation of this particular type of device,” Road Policing Command Assistant Commissioner Mike Keating said.

In her post, the driver said the photos were taken by a passenger and added that she thought speed radars needed to be attached to a police vehicle or motorbike.

She did not think officers were allowed to “crouch in hedges in the middle of the road”.

A second woman said she had spotted officers hiding in the same spot a few weeks ago as another social media user labelled the tactic as “ridiculous”.

Others defended the actions of the police for “doing their job”.

Police would not comment on the current employment status of the officer.

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