HIGHWAY 31 PATROL
In an endeavour to reduce the incidence of accidents on the busy Hume
Highway a group known as the Hume Highway Patrol Group was
formed and commenced operating on 21st December, 1972. This group is
under the command of an Inspector stationed at Benalla, who is directly
responsible to the Traffic District Headquarters, and whose responsibility
is to attend to traffic matters on the Hume Highway.

Special orange-red colored cars (commonly known as

" candy cars "),

with the word " Police" prominently displayed in large lettering in reflective tape on all sides of the vehicle, are used. lt is too early yet to evaluate the success of this operation but comments by members of the motoring public have been generally very favourable.It is hoped to extend the use of similarly colored and signed cars toother State Highways during 1973.

​

THE ROAD TOLL AND ACCIDENTS
In view of the steady increase in the number of vehicles registered and
drivers licensed, it is obvious that the risk of accident has also increased for
users of the roads and highways of this State.
Each year the number of vehicles, and the number of drivers,
grow by a figure in excess of three per cent; a growth rate in excess of
the growth in the extent and the quality of the roads and highways.
Against that backdrop it is particularly pleasing to be able to report, for the
second successive year, that there has been a reduction in the number of
road accident fatalities. That reduction in the road toll, even though
only marginal compared with 1971, is especially encouraging when it is
realised that the 1972 total of 928 is the lowest experienced in this State
since 1967.
I believe the continued containment of the Road Toll is attributable to
three factors:-
( a) the continuing effect of such legislative provisions as that requiring the wearingof safety belts;
(b) the continued support of the media- especially the
1034 Campaign of the Sun newspaper; and
(c) the efforts of members of this
Force, at all levels, to improve the standards of driver behaviour.

MOBILE TRAFFIC SECTION
Metropolitan Area
Because of our restricted manpower resources it has not been possible to
implement all the recommendations regarding the Traffic Department
which were made by Colonel Sir Eric St. Johnston. For that reason a different
organization structure has been implemented in the metropolitan area;
that is, the metropolis has been divided into four Mobile Traffic Section areas:-
No. 1 Area-Western Suburbs.
No. 2 Area-Northern Suburbs.
No. 3 Area-Eastern Suburbs.
No. 4 Area--Southern Suburbs.
Each of the areas is presently commanded by an Inspector and, with
the exception of No. 4 (Southern) Area, consists of 50 personnel. The
No. 4 Area has 50 men based at St. Kilda, thirteen men at Frankston, and
a further twelve men at Dandenong a total of 75 men.
This organisation structure, which became effective on 4th December,
1972, is expected to provide a more efficient deployment of our resources.
lt should enable a close level of liaison to be established and maintained
between Mobile Traffic Section personnel and members of the various
metropolitan Districts. In this way we anticipate a more co-ordinated level of
action directed at the problem of road traffic generally and at the road toll
parti:ularly.
Hume Highway Group Also in December, to meet the traffic needs of the Hume Highway, especially the increase in traffic during the holiday period commencing just prior to Christmas, a special Mobile Traffic Section group was established with responsibility for dealing with the traffic problems occurring on the Hume Highway. This, the busiest highway of our State, poses special
problems and has been a cause of considerable concern to the Force
administration. The results achieved by this group, and the effect of the
employment of special multi-coloured "Candy Cars", will be watched with
great interest; not least because the performance of the Hume Highway
group will provide us with guidancewhen considering the needs of other major highways in this State.

CONCLUSION
Demand for police service is for all practical purposes unlimited. Every
new housing development creates an increased demand for an extension of
police service, and for an increase in the visible police presence on our
roads and highways. With every new technique, new needs for manpower
and resources are created.he effect of Force "annual wastage"

TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT
Through the year a number of changesas a result of the St. Johnston recommendations were put into effect. The number of people killed in road
accidents showed a decrease for thesecond year in succession, and revenue
as a result of traffic offenders intercepted has continued to increase.

THE ROAD TOLL
There was a slight reduction in thenumber of road fatalities during 1972,
when the total was 928 compared with 936 in 1971. This is the lowest
number of fatalities since 1967.Again, approximately two thirds of
the deaths resulted from accidents in country areas.
A more pleasing result was a further reduction in injuries, being 640 less
than in 1971, and also th3 lowest number since 1966.
On the other hand the number of all types of road accidents reported increased
by l ,052 as compared withthe previous year.

HIGHWAY PATROL
It is hoped to extend the use of Special orange-red colored cars (commonly
known as " candy cars "), withsimilarly colored and signed cars to
other State Highways during 1973. It is not generally realized that roads
and Highways in Victoria exceed101,000 miles. This includes 4,429
miles of State Highways and 9,475 miles of main roads, such as Springvale
Road, which carry a high traffic density.
METRO POUT AN TRAFFIC PLAN
In order to create continuity and uniform application of traffic laws, four
Traffic Divisions were created to cover the Metropolitan area . The object is
to allow police to become familiar with areas of high accident incidence
and potential danger in the Division in which they operate. These
Divisions cover the western suburbs, operating from Traffic Headquarters;
the northern suburbs with headquarters at Traffic Headquarters; the eastern suburbs with headquarters at Nunawading; and the southern
suburbs with headquarters at St. Kilda and sub-divisions at Dandenong
and Frankston. Each Division except the Southern
Division is under the command of an
Inspector with 50 personnel. The Southern Division, with headquarters
and an establishment of 50 personnel at St. Kilda, also controls sub-divisions
at Dandenong and Frankston which have twelve and thirteen personnel
respectively, including a Sergeant-in Charge at each sub-division.
In each Division there is at least one main highway. For example, in the
Western Division there is Princes Highway West, the Western Highway
and Calder Highway, with Hume Highway through the Northern Division,
Maroondah Highway in the Eastern Division, and Princes Highway
East and Nepean Highway in the Southern Division. Policewomen
In December 1972, two Policewomen were appointed as members of the
Mobile Traffic Section. They will, before taking up active duty on the
highways, be required to undergo training for five weeks at the Police
Motor Driving School two weeks training at the Vehicle Roadworthiness
School, plus three weeks at the Mobile Traffic High Speed interception
and procedure course-a total of ten weeks in all.
Central Licence and Registration Office from all causes is such that the St.
Johnston manpower targets will not be attained unless our recruiting and
training rate is substantially increased. And the necessary increase in this area
can only be pursued when the physical facilities available for training at
the Academy have been expanded. POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY

MOBILE TRAFFIC SECTION 1972
Personnel (including 53 in country areas) .. Number engaged on traffic duty 341 .. Number of vehicles in use-- Motor cars 102 Motor cycles 117..
source:1973-74
VICTORIA POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 1972
THE ANNUAL REPORT
1973 states 165 Motor Cars increase of 48 and proposed "Q" cars be assigned .
Our Note: Q cars from Dawson St Brunswick MTS supported regions and sometimes loaned the cars for a short duration. The Q cars were unmarked falcon 351"GT"super powered sedans Grey or Green in colour sometimes with a white roof .

CANDY CARS the SOLUTION

ACTION TAKEN DUE to  ROAD CARNAGE

AN UNACCEPTABLE HIGH ROAD TOLL required action.

HIGH VISIBLE POLICE PRESENCE with

8 New Super 145 mph falcon GT HO's was the counter action with the formation of the new HUME HIGHWAY GROUP Lets us take a step back to 1972 with the facts within this Government report Please click the link

(SPECIAL POLICE CAR PHOTO  HISTORY on MOBILE TRAFFIC SECTION the formation of the HUME HIGHWAY GROUP & 8 CANDY CARS GOVERNMENT REPORT on the VICTORIA POLICE MTS 1972

IMPORTANT News articles are copyright please Do NOT share or copy PHOTOS or NEWS ETC. This is for educational and historic information ONLY..... 

8 XA FALCON GT HO INTERCEPTORS 
ORIGINS OF THE CANDY CAR December 1972 
(XA POLICE FALCON GT & GT HO) 
ORIGINS  Rather than imported cars for Highway Patrol duties Victoria Police Mobile Traffic Section wanted a local Australian V8 sedan  The Australian FALCON 
The 1966 WIDE TRACK MUSTANG BRED all new FALCON the Australian Ford FALCON XR & XA motor history origins trace back  of the Victorian Police V8 programme FORD Motor Company Broadmeadows introduced the 1966 XR SEDAN there were 2 prototype cars produced with a 289 Cubic Inch engine   the High Performance Mustang US V8 engine The 2 prototypes were evaluated by Victoria Police MTS  and rejected them the 2 cars were sent to the crusher.  It was a valuable assessment 

based on the feedback and improvement  made  from that exercise The FIRST 1967 XR 289 V8 HIGH PERFORMANCE POLICE  falcon GT was produced and road registered  as a Q CAR unmarked it was recorded as a wireless patrol car the partnership with Ford was a success the government paid the money and Ford built the cars at the lowest level of luxury in falcon 500 panels and trim  to make this a viable economic exercise Ford used the car to produce Australia's first sports sedan the FALCON GT  2 month later then came successive models the XT them in 1969  XW evolving in  the GT HO era then the XY model until the final evolution the FALCON GT HO 4 where the performance of the Police pursuit V8 plateaued It was the pinacle point of the  SUPERCAR only to have the XA 1972 falcon GT HO model axed
because of safety and political pressure  due to an ambitious motor writer who in his new appointment as editor decided to run a story about 160 MPH SUPERCARS 
The POLICE SUPERCARS CARS stated 145 MPH

Please  Join our FACEBOOK group or  If you own photos or have info please send an email   of the XA  police falcons or related info.

On our facebook  site  Members may post any Candy Car marked and unmarked photos and related info it is most welcome especially XR-XB falcon GT to the XC XD XE FALCON V8 era ..The Candy car period was short from 1972-1977 the falcon XA XB and XC series we will in time cover the other models briefly as our main focus is the  XA Police GT models  thank you   the Administrator