12 September 2010

Police Wrap - 12 September 2010

12 September 2010 | By johnboy

Twenty-nine people have been arrested this weekend in the ACT as part of Operation Unite, the stand against alcohol misuse, violence and anti-social behaviour.

Of the arrests made, 24 people were taken into police custody for being intoxicated and disorderly.

These results represent a 36 per cent decrease from last year’s Operation Unite in the ACT when 45 people were arrested including 33 for being intoxicated and disorderly. However, this decrease may be attributed to the colder weather and the fact that last year the results were recorded in the lead-up to Christmas.

Operation Commander Superintendent Mick Calatzis said the issue of alcohol related violence is not solely centered around youth.

“While young people in their late teens and early 20s represent a large number of people who go out and drink on the weekends, this is a problem we are seeing right across a range of ages. We are seeing people of all ages consuming large amounts of alcohol and causing trouble while they are intoxicated. This is not just a problem isolated to any one age group and we need to change the behaviour of the entire community,” Superintendent Calatzis said.

Acting Chief Police Officer for the ACT Bruce Hill said that while Operation Unite has now ended the community should realise that police will continue to focus on this issue beyond this weekend.

“Alcohol misuse, violence and anti-social behaviour is a problem that affects the entire community – it is a cultural issue and, as Operation Unite demonstrates, we are seeing the same problems in every state, territory and region of Australia and New Zealand,” A/CPO Hill said.

“We are uniting to tackle this issue because ‘enough is enough’ – binge drinking in public places has quickly become a dangerous culture and we need to stop this sort of behaviour.

“As we approach the warmer months, police will continue to have a highly visible presence in all entertainment precincts across the ACT. I urge all Canberrans to enjoy this time but to do so safely and sensibly,” A/CPO Hill said.

Australian and New Zealand will again come together for Operation Unite in December.

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Special G8:29 am 13 Sep 10

Falcao said :

I was out in the clubs and bars both friday and saturday night, across kingston and the city. People within the clubs either ignored or laughed at the police for the ridiculous display of numbers, with some party goers even labeling the night as a Police Party.

I think it would be very interesting if our esteemed Chief Police Officer was to reveal how many out of the 24 arrested for being intoxicated and disorderly were actually charged. My best guess is that the tax payer provided an AFP baby-sitting service for the majority, if not all of the 24.

Furthermore, I witnessed three violent altercations, the police weren’t present at two of these despite their over-inflated ‘presence’. And at the third they let the instigator (an intoxicated middle aged man) go home in a taxi, without charge.

In my opinion the only foreseeable solutions to the problem are either a Public Intoxication limit, similar to a drink driving limit, in which if a reveller is tested above the legal limit they get charged with a fine, or even a 3 (or 4 or 5) strikes type system with an apt penalty being delivered after the final offence.

Or alternatively, the appropriate authorities must get serious about the responsible service of alcohol in clubs, and issue the operators of the premises with heavier or greater volumes of fines for their staff ignoring safe service of alcohol practice and serving heavily intoxicated patrons.

I think I find it both farcical and mildly offensive that the AFP can herald this as a success, when it has effectively achieved next to nothing.

Intoxication and Disorderly is not a charge.

Did you contact Police at any stage you saw a violent altercation?
Did you identify yourself as a witness prior to old mate getting sent home?
Did you have a good laugh at the men and women who are prepared to step up and do something about alcohol fueled violence?
If you did none of those things you are not part of the solution just another bystander who doesn’t want to get involved in the safety of your community.

farnarkler11:09 pm 12 Sep 10

Perhaps the ACT government needs to set up a Canberra version of the UK pubwatch; if individuals are arrested for being drunk and disorderly, they’re banned from all bars/clubs/pubs for a set period. Never know, it might work.

bd849:00 pm 12 Sep 10

All they did was just sit outside Mooseheads and jump on the odd person getting kicked out of there, didn’t see much of a presence anywhere else.

Falcao8:19 pm 12 Sep 10

I was out in the clubs and bars both friday and saturday night, across kingston and the city. People within the clubs either ignored or laughed at the police for the ridiculous display of numbers, with some party goers even labeling the night as a Police Party.

I think it would be very interesting if our esteemed Chief Police Officer was to reveal how many out of the 24 arrested for being intoxicated and disorderly were actually charged. My best guess is that the tax payer provided an AFP baby-sitting service for the majority, if not all of the 24.

Furthermore, I witnessed three violent altercations, the police weren’t present at two of these despite their over-inflated ‘presence’. And at the third they let the instigator (an intoxicated middle aged man) go home in a taxi, without charge.

In my opinion the only foreseeable solutions to the problem are either a Public Intoxication limit, similar to a drink driving limit, in which if a reveller is tested above the legal limit they get charged with a fine, or even a 3 (or 4 or 5) strikes type system with an apt penalty being delivered after the final offence.

Or alternatively, the appropriate authorities must get serious about the responsible service of alcohol in clubs, and issue the operators of the premises with heavier or greater volumes of fines for their staff ignoring safe service of alcohol practice and serving heavily intoxicated patrons.

I think I find it both farcical and mildly offensive that the AFP can herald this as a success, when it has effectively achieved next to nothing.

Hells_Bells743:23 pm 12 Sep 10

Unless they start having a safe legal limit for being out in public in general. It will always be too tricky to predict/manage alcohol and its behaviours.

Throw in an emotionally charged person, a drug or two and the inability to get into a club/taxi/girl’s pants and it’s anyone’s guess what trouble we’re in for.