Drinkers be warned: Police will be out in force across Otago this weekend as they run several operations targeting disorderly behaviour.
Starting last night, they joined police across New Zealand and Australia in Operation Unite, an Australasian stand against alcohol-related violence.
The operation is aimed at highlighting the daily work police do to tackle antisocial behaviour connected to the consumption of alcohol.
Each police district across the two countries is undertaking various methods of cracking down, targeting licensed premises, central business districts and drink-drivers.
In Dunedin, the two-day operation will run in conjunction with ongoing operations Safer Streets (additional foot patrols in the central city) and Expect More Testing (city-wide checkpoints and mobile breath testing), which run through the summer holiday period.
A team of officers had been out on the streets of central Dunedin each weekend since December 4 to concentrate on violence and disorder, Dunedin emergency response commander Inspector Alistair Dickie said.
"Their brief is to apply zero tolerance to individuals or groups who are obviously looking for trouble and to take unaccompanied youths under 16 years off the streets after midnight."
Maori wardens and city safety officers also supported police and, starting this weekend, team police officers would supplement the central city team.
Traffic units and night-shift staff were involved with Expect More Testing at checkpoints and with mobile breath testing.
Inner-city violence and drunk drivers had historically been a problem for Dunedin, which was why extra resources were put into targeting those areas, Insp Dickie said.
While the Dunedin and Clutha police area had experienced a 24% reduction in violence in public places last month, warmer weather and work functions before Christmas meant police could not afford to be complacent.
Otago rural area commander Insp Mike Cook, of Alexandra, said drivers from Oamaru to Queenstown and Central Otago should expect to be breath-tested at checkpoints as well as on remote rural roads.
People organising social functions needed to take appropriate steps to demonstrate host responsibility and ensure their guests had a good time in a safe environment.
There will be also be a strong police presence in central Invercargill and licensed premises, with rural staff paying attention to licensed premises in towns and settlements.
Operation Unite will run to midnight tonight, and is the first large-scale transtasman operation of its kind.
The idea came from a meeting of the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency in September, and was launched in Perth last month.
Commissioners from both countries said they hoped to change the culture and challenge people to take responsibility for their own conduct.
Police Commissioner Howard Broad said the "drink to get drunk" culture simply could not continue.
"And that is why we are taking decisive action. While we cannot arrest our way out of this problem, we agree there is a need for stronger policing.
"We are not out to curb enjoyment, but instead tackle this problem with . . . commitment and urgency."
But the NZ Hospitality Association is wary of the crackdown.
Chief executive Bruce Robertson told the New Zealand Herald police needed to take a light-hearted approach.
More than two-thirds of alcohol was consumed in the home and the police should concentrate on supermarkets and liquor stores, he said.
Blitz details
An average day
- 62 people are driven home or in police custody because of intoxication.
- 100 people drink-drive.
- 41 hotels are visited by police.
- 30 people breach council liquor bans.
- About 5923 compulsory and 2743 mobile breath tests are taken.
(Statistics provided by NZ Police.)
Operation Expect More Testing: Dunedin
Summer-long operation: Strategic Traffic Unit staff and swing shift general duties police staff targeting drink-drivers with high-profile compulsory breath testing at checkpoints throughout the city.
Re-rostered early shift staff starting at 5am conducting mobile breath testing.
Operation Safer Streets: Dunedin
Summer-long operation: Extra team of one sergeant and four officers in the central city each weekend through the holiday period to concentrate on central city violence and disorder and inner city hotels.
Supplemented by team police, Maori wardens and city safety officers.
Operation Unite: Australasia
Two-day operation on November 11 and 12 targeting alcohol-related crime and behaviour in the streets and hotels; and drink-driving.
Police across Australia and New Zealand putting on extra staff for the operation.
Recorded outcomes expected to be used to highlight the daily work police do to tackle antisocial behaviour connected to the consumption of alcohol.
