Police across New Zealand and Australia are this weekend urging young people to help make our drinking culture a safer and more responsible one.
Operation Unite – the fourth time New Zealand and Australian police agencies have joined together to target alcohol harm – calls on young people in particular to change the ‘drink to get drunk’ culture which is prevalent on both sides of the Tasman.
“Young Australians and New Zealanders are regular drinkers. Unfortunately for many of them the harmful impacts of a ‘drink to get drunk’ culture are not always understood,” says Jon White, chief executive officer of ANZPAA (Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency).
“Binge drinking is routine and planned and young people don’t seem to realise that when they go out and get drunk, they are putting themselves and their mates at risk of being victims of alcohol related violence.”
Young people, their peers, parents, caregivers and the wider community all have an important role in educating young people’s attitudes towards alcohol.
“Police need to help young people develop skills and lifestyle habits that will ensure they can lead healthy and socially responsible lives,” Mr White says. “Operation Unite is an opportunity for everyone to focus on reducing the harms of excessive alcohol use.”
Research conducted by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in 2007 found that young people are starting to drink at an earlier age and most drink in a way that puts their health and others at risk.
New Zealand Police are planning a high visibility weekend of education and enforcement action with the operation running from 6pm to 6am on both Friday and Saturday night, 13 and 14 May – the risk times for alcohol intoxication requiring police and other agency intervention.
Acting Detective Superintendent Ross Grantham, Police National Headquarters, says additional staff will be working over these periods patrolling the roads and streets, with a special focus on checking licensed premises, entertainment spots and party venues.
Officers will be working alongside partner agencies including District Licensing Agencies, Public Health Units, ALAC, Maori Wardens, Community Patrols, Neighbourhood Support Groups and other interest groups to reduce alcohol harm.
"Operation Unite aims to send a strong and clear message that police and the community will not put up with alcohol related violence, drunken and anti social behaviour which impacts on all sectors of the community.
“Operation Unite is not about curbing young people’s fun,” he says. “It’s about challenging alcohol misuse and drawing attention to the damage intoxication causes at all levels of society. By working together we can help bring about change,” Mr Grantham says.
“Alcohol is an issue across all age groups, not just young people,” Mr Grantham says. ” It’s alarming however that young people don’t seem to realise that they or their mates are likely to be a victim of alcohol misuse.
“It’s not fun for hotel, shop, council or security staff to clean up pools of vomit; it’s not a joke for police officers to try and make sense of intoxicated young people who are or who have become the victim of alcohol fuelled crime. Paramedics and emergency department professionals don’t find it funny to treat drunken and injured patients; and it’s no laughing matter for police officers to tell parents that someone they love has been hurt or killed through alcohol fuelled violence.”
Alcohol related crime is estimated to cost the New Zealand justice sector $716.5 million. New Zealand Police spends $250m on dealing with the misuse of alcohol.
"We're not pretending that Operation Unite will magically solve all alcohol related crime and anti social behaviours, but we know It’s an opportunity to talk about the impact alcohol has on people’s lives.
“We can’t arrest our way out of this issue. Community action is needed to bring about a long term cultural change to the social costs of excessive drinking. Young people themselves can help bring about this change.
"Operation Unite is an opportunity for police in New Zealand and Australia to show a united stance and to keep alcohol related issues in the public eye. It challenges the drinking public to take greater responsibility for their behaviour, that of their family and friends."
Police throughout New Zealand will be paying extra attention on Friday and Saturday nights to:
• targeting drink drivers, reinforcing the 'anywhere anytime' message;
• rigorously enforcing breach of liquor bans and alcohol offences in public places;
• enforcing under-age drinking in public places through use of liquor infringement notices and follow up action with young people's parents/caregivers;
• visiting licensed premises identified as posing risks and conducting compliance checks;
• reinforcing the partnership approach to reducing alcohol related harm;
• encouraging host responsibility at parties to minimise the risk of ‘pre-loading’.
It's not just enforcement - prevention and education is vital in changing people's attitudes to drinking. Host responsibility resources, ALAC resources and wallet sized prompt cards with the Alcohol and Drug Association of New Zealand's helpline number 0800 787 797 will be part of brief intervention kits given out by officers to offenders.
“Alcohol misuse is a complex issue, and there are no easy solutions,” Mr Grantham says. “Binge drinking is not a problem isolated to any one age group but we do want to see people thinking before they drink. And if they do drink they look after themselves, and their mates.”
Reducing alcohol related harm is a top priority for police. He urges parents and caregivers to have that tough conversation about drinking habits, and how you can keep people safe. Be a good host and ensure there's food and non alcoholic beverages for social gatherings and arrange safe alternative transport options home. Intoxicated drivers are a risk to all road users.
All 12 police districts in New Zealand are supporting the weekend operation.
Key New Zealand statistics:
• Alcohol misuse remains the key aggravator of offending and victimization. It’s a significant consumer of police resources.
• $250m of the police budget is spent on dealing with alcohol misuse and harm
• Alcohol is New Zealand’s drug of choice and the National Drug Foundation quote 95 percent of all drug problems involve alcohol.
• At least one third of all police recorded offences were committed where the alleged offender had consumed alcohol prior to committing the offence.
• On an average day: (2009/10 fiscal year):
• There are 44 incidents where we take people or groups home or detained in police custody due to their state of intoxication
• 272 alleged offenders are arrested by police that show signs of having consumed alcohol prior to offending
• 32 offences for breaches of council liquor bans are committed
• There are 94 offences for drink driving
• Approximately 6057 compulsory breath tests and 2877 mobile breath tests are undertaken
• 48 licensed premised are visited to monitor compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act
• The majority of alcohol related offences were committed in public places outside licensed premises
• Over a third of alleged offenders who had consumed alcohol prior to offending identified their place of last drink as home/private residence.
The Operation Unite logo is on the police website.
Media contacts:
Kaye Calder
Public Affairs, PNHQ
tel 04 460 2986
email: kaye.calder@police.govt.nz
