The imported police officers are now on the beat to help prevent repeats of last year’s reported sexual assaults and drug/alcohol-related harm on New Year’s Eve.
Senior Sergeant Chris Brooks, of Wanaka, and Sergeant Steve Jones, of Dunedin, are leading the teams working in Wanaka, Luggate, Hawea and at the Rhythm & Alps Music Festival at Cardrona between December 27 and January 3.
Rhythm & Alps begins with a low-key opening this afternoon.
Snr Sgt Brooks said there would be no "alternative action" essay project this year.
The essay programme was run in previous years and was aimed at educating youth drinkers and their caregivers, providing an opportunity to waive a potential $200 fine.
"We are just going to make it really clear at the end of the day the ban is there for a really good reason," Snr Sgt Brooks said.
"The fact is, we have had a lot of young people get hurt last year and the year before.
"And there are bans in every town. This is not unique.
"You walk into any CBD on New Year’s Eve and you are probably going to be walking into an alcohol-free zone and there are really good reasons for it."
Seconding officers to Central Otago is nothing new, but Snr Sgt Brooks — who has been the officer in charge of the Wanaka station for just seven months — said this year he wanted to prevent the harm reported in previous years.
Sgt Jones has a wealth of knowledge from policing harm prevention among Dunedin’s student population.
"I am here in my normal capacity of alcohol harm prevention but I am also running a team ...
"Anything to do with students is my cup of tea," Sgt Jones said.
The extra officers have been drawn from the wider Dunedin policing area.
Last year, officers wrote thousands of tickets for breaches of Wanaka’s public liquor bans.
Five sexual violence complaints followed Wanaka’s celebrations, all reported by visitors.
There were 15 reports of "sexual assaults and related offending" — including five allegations of rape — through the wider Otago Lakes Central police district.
Sexual assaults were also reported in 2020 and 2019.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council’s Christmas and New Year’s 24-hour alcohol ban began on December 24 and will run until 6pm on January 6.
