An award-winning nation police officer says he'll battle to clear his in title in courtroom, after being charged with recklessly rushing to the scene of an accident.
Main Senior Constable Bradley Beecroft was charged after he travelled as much as 230km/h to assist an injured colleague who was struck by a automotive on the facet of a freeway final yr.
Beecroft has been within the police power for 16 years, nevertheless now finds himself dealing with the opportunity of jail time over the incident.
The freeway patrol officer carried a "gold class licence", which permits cops to be exempt from pace restrictions whereas on obligation.
In March final yr, he was known as to a crash on the Hume Freeway close to Euroa.
On the best way there, Beecroft and his colleague had been alerted that the police automotive already on the scene had been hit and officers had been doubtlessly injured.
He then activated lights and sirens in addition to the in-car digital camera, participating in what's known as "pressing obligation driving".
Prosecutors allege he acted recklessly when he overtook dozens of different motorists and reached speeds of as much as 230km/h.
One of many officers on the scene was injured and wanted to be taken to hospital.
Beecroft informed investigators he felt he had pushed appropriately, particularly given the then latest occasions of the Japanese Freeway police tragedy that claimed the lives of 4 officers.
"The job is the precedence. As a police officer, I'm sworn to guard the group," he informed 9 Information Melbourne.
"I have been to 2 little one drownings, I used to be on the Mangalore aircraft crashes the place 4 individuals sadly misplaced their lives and I've travelled at pace to all of these jobs."
"I'm perplexed on the costs which have been levelled in opposition to me."
Prosecutors allege the 47-year-old informed his colleague within the automotive he "did not care" how briskly he was going.
Beecroft says his courtroom case is already having an impression on different police, firefighters and paramedics out on the street.
"They've slowed down considerably... Now they're ready of not figuring out, how briskly, is quick?" he mentioned.
Beecroft has additionally vowed to take to the stand and battle his costs.
"I'll clearly battle as onerous as I can to get a very good consequence," he mentioned.