Benalla officer was charged, acquired over 200km/h-plus drive

The Border Mail

Bradley Beecroft considering taking Victoria Police to court for 'malicious prosecution'.

Transcript

00:00 Bradley Beecroft was a proud policeman who signed up to serve and protect

00:04 But the highway patrol officer found himself on the wrong side of the law after racing to help an injured colleague

00:12 The force said he was reckless, but Bradley has no regrets

00:16 All I ever wanted to was be a copper

00:19 He served with honor until he says he was forced out I've been in the job 17 years

00:29 I've never sprayed anybody. I've never batted anybody. I've never tasered anybody. I've never shot anybody

00:34 I've got divisional commendations for arresting armed offenders with knives

00:39 Look, I'm filthy that they did this to my career. I'm filthy that they did this to my family

00:44 So how fast is too fast when you're a highway patrol cop racing to save a colleague's life?

00:57 Sunday March 21st

00:59 2021 he doesn't know it but on today's shift leading senior constable Bradley Beecroft's career

01:07 Will end it was movement in the background to have me out of the job

01:12 Between Brad who's driving and his partner more than 60 years of policing experience

01:19 They've just activated lights and sirens after an urgent call

01:27 Their colleagues being rear-ended while responding to a car crash on the Hume freeway at your roll-up

01:33 two hours drive from Melbourne the call come through on the radio from

01:37 Lucas Paul who's a colleague and I know him quite well

01:42 Saying that he just been hit Lucas appeared dazed and confused and not easily able to diagnose whatever was wrong with him

01:53 Then radio chatter full silence and I'm going as quickly as I think as safely as possible

01:59 Knowing full well that by the time I get there. I'm probably going to be doing the CPR Brad passes

02:06 77 cars during the almost nine kilometer journey hitting an alleged speed of

02:12 230 K's then the comment that would later haunt him

02:18 On the left

02:20 When Brad arrives on scene

02:25 He can't find one of his two colleagues sergeant Robin Reid and I had this thing in my head that

02:34 She was under a car or stuck between cars. She wears Robin. She went she had to go that other job

02:44 Robin wasn't in the car her partner leading senior constable Lucas Paul is visibly dazed

02:51 The crash scenes cleared and Brad thinks nothing more

03:02 But nine months later the veteran highway patrol officer would find himself on the other side of an interview room

03:11 The charges that they leveled against me were reckless conduct charges

03:15 So, you know that carried ten years in prison Brad held a gold-class license allowing him to travel at unlimited speed

03:23 But it didn't matter. He was charged with reckless conduct endangering life

03:28 dangerous driving and

03:31 Speeding it's not Hollywood. There's no one two wheels and screeching tires or any of that sort of stuff

03:38 The case went to court and in July this year a magistrate threw it out ordering the chief commissioner pay

03:46 Brad's legal fees

03:48 Vindication at last except the damage had already been done

03:53 It could only be proven in court Brad hit a top speed of

03:58 207 kilometres an hour

04:03 What I meant to say was I don't spirit care about the speed camera

04:06 It is my practice as I trip the camera car call out my speed that I see you believe they charged you to get rid

04:13 of you

04:14 absolutely

04:16 An hour before the incident Brad sent an email to managers voicing opposition

04:21 About a new quota when we were doing the him freeway

04:24 She was supposed to pull over for their motor vehicles. The purpose of it was just to fly the flag

04:29 They didn't want any offending and was only gonna put members in harm's way and ultimately that proved to be the case

04:34 Brad's police partner first raised concerns long before that

04:38 Claiming a law mandating motorists slow to 40 kilometres when passing police cars would cause a fatality

04:46 12 months before

04:49 Four of my colleagues were killed on the Eastern Freeway

04:51 He'd sent out an email

04:56 To the chief commissioner then Graham Ashton zone

04:59 This is what we're doing is not safe as people approach it they then panic

05:03 They see that the red and blues are on if they don't see it clearly they didn't hit the brakes

05:08 Police initially claimed their investigation was triggered by the speed camera office

05:13 Something Brad disputes. It was created by my line command

05:18 The same people who I'd raised the safety issues with to add insult to injury Brad says other police units

05:26 Responding that day drove faster than their licenses allowed, but he says they weren't charged

05:32 Why did I get singled out in amongst a dozen people?

05:37 To be given some special treatment

05:40 You know, I lost the 30-year marriage out of it I

05:44 You know, it damaged my relationship with my girls. I can't tell you how much it's cost me financially

05:51 There were no complaints with respect to his driving his off-sider of 45 years who was sitting next to him had no complaints with

05:59 Respect to that driving Brad's lawyer Ali bezaroglu from Robinson Gill

06:04 He says they're considering suing the state over what they allege was a malicious prosecution

06:11 Brad overtook 77

06:13 Drivers on the way to a collision site all of those drivers were at were at risk of harm

06:19 He should have been given a certificate of commendation for a job. Well done

06:23 Instead he received nothing but condemnation if you could have your time over would you change anything? No, I

06:30 Still would have driven at the same speed. My only legacy out of this now is that

06:34 Hopefully other police members won't have to go through this that they can refer back to this case and say look I acted within

06:41 My you know my exemptions

06:46 Victoria police declined to be interviewed saying it had nothing to add given the case had been heard in court

06:52 What a sad end to a career

06:55 You

06:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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