Lincolnshire Police target motorbikes in Operation Snap

Lincolnshire Police have renewed their call for drivers to snoop on motorcyclists by uploading dashcam footage. As part of their ‘Operation Snap’ campaign, which encourages members of the public to do the police’s work for them, they’ve decided to target motorcyclists under the banner of improving safety.

Writing on the Lincs Police facebook page, the force said: “We’re encouraging anyone with dashcam footage of riding that is dangerous, careless or where the rider is not in proper control to submit the footage to our Op Snap portal.”

Police have, however, admitted that footage of alleged speeding cannot be used due to issues with calibration.

Operation snap was launched in 2021 in an attempt to combat the number of road users killed or seriously injured in the county.

The online initiative encourages riders and drivers to send in footage caught during journeys highlighting examples of inconsiderate driving, failing to wear a seat belt, crossing solid white lines and more.

Chief Superintendent Nikki Mayo, Head of Central Operations at Lincolnshire Police, said at the time: “In Lincolnshire in 2019 there were 535 people killed or seriously injured in road traffic collisions. A further 52 people lost their lives last year.

“A system to effectively process evidence of road traffic offences and poor driving will assist greatly in dealing with poor driver behaviour that can and does lead to collisions, serious injury and death on the roads of Lincolnshire.”

Finally, a chance to submit footage of all those bad drivers, then? Well yes, but you best make sure you practice what you preach, with any poor standards of driving/riding exhibited by the sender also potentially resulting in your own conviction. Likewise, any over enthusiastic riding of your own, captured by others, could land you in hot water. 

For those filmed and deemed in breach of the law, potential punishments range from a warning letter, to retraining courses, to a fixed penalty notice and even prosecution through the criminal justice system. Video footage is submitted on the Lincolnshire Police website, however, you must be prepared to attend court to give evidence, should the case go that far.

Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire, Marc Jones, added: “I believe the key to community safety lies in the police and public working together and this project embodies that approach in the mission to reduce death and injury on the roads.”

Upon receiving footage, officers have an obligation to inform the motorist of any offences  they have committed, usually within 10 days of the incident. Any footage submitted may also be later used for media, training or publication purposes.

For more information, head to www.lincs.police.uk