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Police hit back at offensive graffiti targeting them

Derogatory graffiti targeting police on a national park road sign in NSW has prompted a defiant response from the force.

Officers found a sign which had been spray painted with an offensive message in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney.

“All cops are bastards,” the graffiti read.

Taking to the Highway Patrol’s Facebook page on Monday, NSW Police defended their recent crackdown on the roads in the area, saying the graffiti hasn’t changed their outlook on making sure the state’s roads are the safest they can be.

“Despite the recent graffiti identified in the Royal National Park, Central Metropolitan Highway Patrol, and Local Police, will continue to focus on preventing serious injury and fatal crashes,” they wrote, noting that cyclists and pedestrians are as much a focus as motorists and their passengers.

Police found the graffiti in the Royal National Park. Source: Facebook/ Traffic and Highway Patrol Command
Police found the graffiti in the Royal National Park. Source: Facebook/ Traffic and Highway Patrol Command

Over the weekend, officers from Strike Force PUMA conducted a Road Safety Operation targeting high-risk driving behaviour and drivers associated with various social media sites promoting such issues.

Over the two days there were 12 speeding offences, including five infringements for speeds over 30km/h – three of which were P-platers. Three motorists were also stopped for crossing continuous white lines.

Police identified a Facebook group titled ‘Help, I’ve binned my car in the Nasho’, where users share images of crashed vehicles inside the Royal National Park, as one of the more worrying trends to appear on social media.

Police noted 116 NSW deaths already in 103 days of 2019 was a worrying statistic and behaviour featured in the group only helped the total increase.

An image of a crash shared on a Facebook group police condemned. Source: Facebook/ Help, I’ve binned my car in the Nasho
An image of a crash shared on a Facebook group police condemned. Source: Facebook/ Help, I’ve binned my car in the Nasho

Police union says abuse ‘disappointing’

Tony King, the President of the Police Association of NSW, told Yahoo News Australia that such abuse of police was unacceptable.

“It’s always disappointing to see police become the target of offensive behaviour,” he said.

Unfortunately police are somewhat used to being the subject of offensive comments, but that doesn’t make it acceptable.”

King said men and women of the police force “deserve respect” for the work they do daily, especially on the roads.

“Police are simply out there doing a job – the important job of keeping our community safe. They’re putting their lives on the line every single day to make sure everyone – including the people who would write such offensive things – can go about their day safely.”

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