Auckland City Police are no strangers to planning for big events or a cluster of them and the work that's gone into the coming weekend is no exception.
The district's Planning and Operations Group has been working on arrangements around the NRL Nines tournament, the Eminem concert and the annual Lantern Festival - along with several other events - for the better part of 10 months.
District Manager Operations and Support, Inspector Peter Gibson, says Auckland City Police plans for literally hundreds of events and VIP visits a year, some of which are know about well in advance and others that crop up with little or no warning.
"With regard to the coming weekend, we have plenty of staff from throughout the region rostered on to assist the organisers and promoters of the various events and to enable Aucklanders to go about their business with the least amount of disruption.
"There'll be thousands of visitors to the city and we encourage them, business operators and locals who intend participating in what the city has to offer, to be aware of their and their friends' personal safety and responsibilities.
"Over the past few weeks the district, with assistance from the Health Promotion Agency (HPA), has produced three big screen advertisements to be broadcast at Eden Park that summarise some of our key advice to event patrons - take it easy on the drink, keep kids safe in a crowd and avoid becoming a victim of car crime by taking some simple preventative steps." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi1LGzLHC4g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN_jeYP-wQc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUgyTM18lhgeYc2k3PL5_dQA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mPboGP4FXM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUgyTM18lhgeYc2k3PL5_dQA
Police will be out and about enforcing local Liquor Bans and encouraging bar managers to hang onto their licences by refusing to serve intoxicated patrons.
The Major Events Operation Centre and the Police District Command Centre will enable staff and other agencies to have an overview of what's happening at any one time through real time CCTV coverage.
ENDS
Issued by Noreen Hegarty
Auckland City Police Communications Manager
Ph 09 302 6947 or 0274-951-589
Website: www.police.govt.nz