Just like the French Gendarmes, Belgian police officers will soon be able to catch speeding motorists with their radar guns /Belga
The speed camera game in Belgium is going up a notch with the delivery of the first handheld speed radar guns to police departments later this year. While homologation is still pending, commissioners already know that they will equip motorbike squads. In addition to the radar gun, police zones are being equipped with NK7 infrared speed cameras hidden in wheelie bins.
The Belgian authorities and police continue to crack down on speeding. In addition to the conventional speed cameras, Lidar systems and mobile speed cameras, regions are installing average speed check zones on major motorways and roads. To tackle speeding on local and smaller roads, Belgian police zones will be equipped later this year with handheld speed radar guns.
‘Always with us’
“We’re waiting for the green light from the three Regions and the federal government. The homologation process is very complex”, declares Michel Niezen, CEO of Sirien. The Belgian company assembles the Trucam II radar gun that will equip the police zones.
“This impressive tool will allow us to react quickly to any speeding complaints in the neighbourhood, for example. We’ll always have a radar gun on one of our motorbikes”, declares Bertrand Caroy, traffic manager at the Boraine police zone. Once a motorist has been caught speeding, the hand-held device can print a detailed receipt of the traffic violation.
Wheelie bin speed camera
The NK7 is quickly becoming the police’s favourite speed camera. Distributed by Belgian company Securoad, the device can scan up to six lanes of traffic going both ways. Furthermore, it uses an infrared camera and doesn’t need any flash.
This impressive speed camera can be placed on a tripod, hidden in an unmarked car or even in a wheelie bin. This isn’t a police’s clever invention. Securoad markets the NK7 that way. The wheelie bin will cost police zones an extra 1.100-euro above the 42.000 euro starting price.
More effective than Lidar
The Liège police zone has used this type of speed camera for six months. “The rate of positive results is at 3,18%, nearly as high as an unmarked car (3,20%). The rate is even higher than the Lidar system (1,5%) and the conventional fixed speed camera (less than 1%)”, explains Meuse-Hesbaye police Chief, Jean-Pierre Doneaux.
But, isn’t hiding a speed camera in a wheelie bin a sneaky approach to getting more speeding motorists? “Fixed radars have shown their limits. With this device, people know that it can be placed anywhere at any time. It will make them think twice about speeding”, explains Namur’s Mayor, Maxime Prévot (cdH). “And, let me remind you that the money from the speeding tickets is going to the federal government. What we get back is only an allowance dedicated to our staff.”
Le pistolet radar débarque chez nous !
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