As part of Operation Unite, the Auckland City District Alcohol Harm Reduction Officers combined with the Auckland Regional Health Officers to conduct a Controlled Purchase Operation on Licensed Premises within the Auckland City Policing District.
Alcohol features in more than half of all Police business from minor to major crimes. Research shows about two thirds of minors get alcohol through older family members. Only Parents and Legal Guardians can provide a minor with alcohol, others face prosecution.
The premises visited included a mixture of superette’s / supermarket’s, bottle-stores, bars and taverns.
Six minors aged 16 years assisted Police by attempting to purchase alcohol from On and Off Licensed premises without any identification. Over the Friday and Saturday nights they visited a number of licensed premises.
It is of concern that 40% of On-Licensed premises, and 14% of Off Licensed premises sold to these minors without requesting or sighting identification.
The sales were made either by, or in the presence of the Duty Manager, with no attempt made to confirm eligibility to purchase by requesting identification. The minors used were undeniably young, and this is obvious by the amount of premises that refused service without identification.
Bars and Taverns that had trust-worthy security at the door restricted entry to minors without identification, and thereby prevented a breach of selling liquor to a minor, and also of allowing a minor onto a designated premise.
Premises that do not employ security need to be more vigilant in asking for identification at the point of sale.
Off-Licensed premises need to also ensure that staff that are permitted to conduct a sale are adequately trained and are mature enough to be able to refuse service where appropriate. Larger premises should have processes in place prohibiting junior staff from conducting a sale without Duty Managers authorising the sale.
Duty Manager’s are responsible for the compliance with and enforcement of the provisions of the Act; the conditions of the licence in force in respect of the premises; and the conduct of the premises with the aim of contributing to the reduction of liquor abuse.
Duty Managers, and Licensees, need to ensure that this is happening because any breach puts their livelihood, and the license of the premise, at serious risk.
Controlled purchase operations have been conducted for a number of years to test the identification practices of persons selling a legalised drug with the potential to cause serious harm. It is of concern that On-Licensed premises are not getting the message of ‘No I.D, No Service’, even though they have signage that states such.
Underage drinkers are adept at identifying ‘easy’ liquor outlets and bars, where workers tend not to ask for age identification. All bars should know their obligations to ask for identification, with the general policy being to ask any person who appears to be under the age of 25 years, and to operate under a “no photo ID, no service” rule.
They will often return to these premises on a regular basis and introduce new minors to the licensee who will begin selling to them as well.
There will be future Controlled Purchase Operations, which will be targeting the On-Licensed premises. This latest operation continues to show that the hospitality industry continue to have a problem taking their obligations seriously. Maybe the future cancellation of licenses will assist in improving their practices.
This is part of a continuation of monitoring of all licensed premises to ensure that required standards of service are maintained within the industry, and unsuitable person are removed. Further such operations will be undertaken.
The above detected breaches will be presented to the Liquor Licensing Authority (or District Court – where appropriate) with a request for suspensions of the Licence’s and Manager Certificate’s involved.
Visits / Sales Details
20 - On Licensed Premises visited
85 - Off Licensed Premises visited
8 - Sales made at On Licensed Premises
12 - Sales made at Off Licensed Premises
Contact Details
Jason P LOYE
Sergeant C824
Alcohol Harm Reduction Coordinator
Western Area - Auckland City District
Bryce LAW
Sergeant H175
Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer
Central Area - Auckland City District
Christopher LALLY
Sergeant I228
Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer
Eastern Area - Auckland City District
Ph: 09 820-5700
Fax: 09 820-4610
E-mail: jason.loye@police.govt.nz
Ph: 09 367-7776
Fax: 09 375-4666
E-mail: bryce.law@police.govt.nz
Ph: 09 526-7319
Fax: 09 525-7883
E-mail: christopher.lally@police.govt.nz