Leading Then, Leading Now: Inspector Stefan Sagar’s SADD Journey
SADD is celebrating 40 years of youth action this year. It's encouraging to know how impacting SADD has been in influencing safer behaviours on our roads, contributing to reducing deaths and injuries and producing amazing leaders who continue to do great Mahi and make a difference in their communities.
Donna recently caught up with Inspector Stefan Sagar, Area Commander for Waitematā East and former SADD student. Stefan and Donna used to work together when Donna was in the Police as a Sergeant on a road safety team at the Auckland Harbour bridge, when Stefan was the Motorways Senior Sergeant.
Tell me about your time with SADD at school. Why did you get involved?
I was a SADD student in 1995 at Rosmini College. I’ve always had a social conscience and I was a leader at the school, a prefect, and the opportunity came up to join SADD, which was Students Against Driving Drunk. We would go to the council building and participate in the SADD committee.
I always had in the back of my mind that policing was something I wanted to do. SADD was a stepping stone towards reaching that aspiration. I was passionate about road safety, even at that age, I wanted my peers to be driving safely and avoiding crashes on the roads. Joining SADD was something that naturally aligned with me at that time.
What impact do you think SADD had on your peers?
Reflecting on my own journey, and the young brain of a teenager not really understanding the impacts of a high speed crash. The mock crash helped to raise awareness about the impacts of a high speed crash involving a drunk driver. This was in the days before social media, so there were not as many media posts about crashes. In the day this activity had an impact on the young males at the school.
Also just the fact that we were talking about being against drunk driving had an impact. Having the conversations and looking at alternative ways to get home to avoid driving drunk, had an impact. It became less desirable to be in the car with a drunk driver once they saw what the consequences could be!
What activities can you remember doing?
We did in-school activities to promote safe driving. We did mock crashes and other fundraising activities in the community. The goal was to educate our peers about the dangers of drunk driving.
Did SADD help you learn any life skills?
SADD was a great way for me to enhance my leadership skills, organising events, public speaking, and having the confidence to make a change in my community.
SADD is 40 this year, do you think the activities have changed over those years?
Its really pleasing to see that SADD is still around and going well and to see how far society has come around to the likes of drunk driving. It’s great to see that SADD has expanded to incorporate more issues that impact young road users, like distractions, speed, seatbelts. The trauma caused by dangerous driving behaviours have fallen significantly since I was a part of SADD as a secondary school student. You’d like to think that those formative ideas that SADD came up with in those days had an impact on driving the road toll down and changing behaviours of the next generation.
Has being in SADD influenced your decision making on the road?
Yes, absolutely, we were well aware of the dangers of drunk driving, it was absolutely a no no to drive drunk!
What road safety messages do you have for our audience?
When I was involved in SADD 30 yrs ago, the focus was on impaired driving. Not drunk/drugged driving remains a big focus for Police. In line with SADD’s expansion to other dangerous driving behaviours, Police also want people to wear their seatbelts, put your phone away while you are driving, even at intersections, drive within the speed limits. Driver licence conditions are designed to protect you, don't be tempted to break them. Also be in charge of your own decision making, don't cave into peer pressure and avoid other risky behaviours that not only breach road rules but have the potential to end in tragedy. No Police officer wants to knock on your parents door and tell them you will not be coming home!
Did being a part of SADD help towards becoming a Police officer?
Yes, I was always keen to become a Police officer, SADD was a step towards that. At the time I was involved in SADD the organiser was a sworn Police officer, he ran the SADD meetings, he was influential in helping to support the SADD members and the wider school students, a great role model. He was the only Police officer I knew before I joined the Police so it was a really positive experience for me.
What advice do you have for any SADD students who aspire to join the Police?
Do it! It’s a great career. If you have a passion for community initiatives like SADD then you will be well placed with a career in the Police. If you are interested in joining and want to know more check out the website https://www.newcops.govt.nz/