It takes more than a weekend of action to change the drinking culture, says Operation Unite’s New Zealand Police spokesperson, Acting Detective Superintendent Ross Grantham.
“Shifting away from the drink to get drunk culture needs parents, retailers, community and other interested groups to be actively involved,” Mr Grantham says. “Sadly, all too often Police, health and other agencies are left picking up the pieces of what started as someone’s night of fun.
“All we’re asking is that people, no matter what their age, make safe and sensible choices when and where they decide to have a drink,” Mr Grantham says.
Operation Unite – the fourth time New Zealand and Australian police jurisdictions have worked on simultaneous alcohol harm reduction campaigns – finished today. It ran between 6pm on Friday and 6am yesterday and 6pm Saturday to 6am today.
Last night 1036 officers across New Zealand worked on the operation accompanied by 113 people from partner agencies including District Licensing Agencies, Public Health, ALAC, Maori Wardens and Community Patrols.
In addition to normal Saturday night policing patrols, additional focus was put on checking hotel and licensed premises, road policing checkpoint operations and controlled purchase operations where young volunteers are sent, under supervision, to see if they can buy alcohol at places like bottle stores, supermarkets at other licensed premises.
Provisional national results from last night show:
• 47 assaults were reported – compared with 17 on Friday night
• 289 arrests were made – 49 more than Friday night
• 165 alcohol intervention packs where given to people to encourage them to seek further help – 21 more than on Friday
• 2900 breath tests were given by mobile police patrols
• 27,560 drivers were breath tested at checkpoint operations
• 305 drivers returned a positive breath test – up from 162 on Friday night
• 37 drivers are awaiting the results of blood samples – nine more than on Friday night
• 182 other offences were disclosed at checkpoint operations
• 872 checks were made on hotels and bars
• 49 breaches of the Sale of Liquor Act were detected – seven less than the previous night
• 43 people were arrested for breaches of a liquor ban – eight less than Friday night
• 342 warnings were given for breaches of the liquor ban – 164 more than Friday night
• 19 Liquor Infringement Notices were issued
• 33 warnings were given for Liquor Infringement Notices
• 42 on license premises were visited as part of controlled purchase operations
• 59 off license premises such as bottle stores were visited as part of the CPOs.
• 24 outlets sold alcohol to the volunteers as part of the CPO and will face further action.
One young volunteer in an Auckland controlled purchase operation was about to step into an Onehunga liquor store when he realised what appeared to be the theft of boxed alcohol was taking place.
He quickly alerted nearby police officers who were supervising the operation and after a short foot chase and a scuffle, including the use of OC spray, police officers arrested two young men. The 19 and 17 years old men have been joined charged with theft and aggravated assault.
The bottle store worker was treated for cuts and grazes to his head and face, and the 16-year-old Operation Unite volunteer was uninjured.
Mr Grantham said Counties Manukau staff were pleased locally that the Operation Unite publicity had contributed to a very high compliance rate with business check age ID before selling alcohol. Elsewhere in the district however, staff were kept busy with disorder related offending.
Auckland reported that at one checkpoint six drivers were over the limit, two blew over 1000mgms (the limit is 400), and all had previous EBA convictions.
In the Bay of Plenty, staff had reported out of control parties which needed to be closed down in Rotorua and Tokoroa.
Gore staff had bottles thrown at them while shutting a party down in Kitchener Street, requiring back up from Invercargill. Two people were arrested for obstruction.
Police say a further update will be made tomorrow (Monday) once all the returns are in, including more detailed comment from districts.
Ends
Issued by: Kaye Calder, Police Public Affairs
Tel: 04 460 2986 or 027 241 6305