More alcohol free zones on the bill
In an effort to prevent alcohol-fuelled violence, police across New South Wales were out in force last weekend.
Operation Unite, an initiative across Australasia to battle alcohol driven crime, saw hundreds of additional officers assigned on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of December throughout the state.
“Every night of the week we see people abusing alcohol. They get involved in fights, stagger into traffic, pass out on footpaths and treat the streets as their personal urinal.
“This sort of behaviour is simply unacceptable and the community and country’s police are fed up with it,” said Operation Unite commander, Assistant Commissioner Michael Fuller.
“I want to send a clear message that alcohol-related crime will not be tolerated,” he added.
Police said the initiative was not intended to spoil weekend celebrations, but to ensure personal responsibility and safe drinking this summer.
“As Commissioner Scipione has said time and again, we cannot arrest our way out of this problem. It is time for people to stand up and take personal responsibility,” Mr Fuller said.
“We have seen far too often the devastating affects of what happens when someone has one drink too many and it is time to say enough is enough.”
As part of Operation Unite, officers conducted regular patrols of CBD’s, towns, licensed premises, roads, transport hubs and waterways across NSW.
In a further attempt to end public alcohol-fuelled violence, the City Of Sydney has received applications to establish 90 new Alcohol Free Zones.
The applications, put forward since September 2010, were proposed by local police, residents and local business managers.
The zones are set to be placed in Kings Cross, Leichhardt, Newtown and Surry Hills areas.
NSW Police Major Events and Incidents Group have supported the application, recognising that alcohol restrictions do assist in the management of anti-social behaviour at major events.
Alcohol prohibited areas employed at the 2011 Mardi Gras parade were said to be evidence of success in the zones.
An evaluation plan has been issued by Safe City to address the Alcohol Free Zones. The plan will assess ways in which they contribute to the management of anti-social behaviour related to alcohol.
By Georgia Fullterton
