Eight vehicles seized and three arrested in road safety operation held in memory of drink-drive victim
Police stopped 12 vehicles during the operation
Eight vehicles were seized and three people arrested during a police road safety operation held in memory of a young man killed by a drink-driver in Streetly.
Harry Chapman was just two weeks away from his 21st birthday when he was struck by a drink-driver on Aldridge Road on October 7, 2022.
The driver was subsequently jailed for 11 years, with West Midlands Police working alongside Harry's family in the years since to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of drink and drug-driving.
Harry's sister Lola, who now works as an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) researcher for the force, was keen to organise an operation in her brother's memory.
Officers returned to Aldridge Road on Friday, October 23, for the road safety crackdown, aimed at preventing other families from experiencing a similar tragedy.
Police stopped 12 vehicles during the operation, with eight seized for offences including having no insurance or vehicle tax.
Three people were arrested, including two on suspicion of drug-driving. One of those arrested was also wanted for breaching a court order, while another person was arrested for driving while disqualified.
A total of 20 drivers were reported for offences including failing to wear a seatbelt, displaying incorrect registration plates and driving without a licence.
Officers also recovered two stolen cars, one of which had been taken during a car key burglary just days earlier.
PC Theo Kacoulli, from West Midlands Police's Roads Policing Unit, said: "One wrong decision could cost someone their life. Driving under the influence of drink or drugs can have terrible consequences and can ruin the lives of families.
"It's a decision that only you can make. But we urge people to make sure it's the right one.
"This must have been really hard for Lola, but her bravery shows us how important it is to carry out operations like this so that another family doesn't have to go through the pain that Lola and her family still live with today.
"We are committed to working with our partners to make our roads safer. One life lost on our roads is one life too many."
Lola thanked officers for their efforts and urged motorists to consider the potentially lifelong consequences of dangerous driving.
She said: "Thank you to everyone involved and for all the efforts from West Midlands Police to improve road safety.
"Please be mindful of the consequences of driving under the influence and dangerous driving. It can be a lifetime sentence for those involved."