As police beef up operations for this festive season, the public is being urged to be more understanding to make their jobs easier and the streets safer.

Traffic Police constable Temalesi Ryland says they have also been the subject of criticism in the past.

“Instead of enjoying ourselves for Christmas, people are enjoying themselves and we are here on the roads for the safety of the drivers. There’s plenty of criticism on our road and the attitude problem.”

This year alone police have recorded over thirty thousand traffic infringements and fifty two road fatalities compared to sixty one for the same period last year.