POLICE TO TARGET LIQUOR-RELATED OFFENCES IN FESTIVE SEASON BLITZ

POLICE TO TARGET LIQUOR-RELATED OFFENCES IN FESTIVE SEASON BLITZ

Drunken 'hot spots' across the state will be targeted in an unprecedented state-wide $1.5 million Police blitz during the Christmas and New Year period.

Premier Anna Bligh said the crackdown would deliver a minimum of 16,000 additional hours of police power focused on the enforcement of liquor-related offences, anti-social behaviour and harm reduction activities.

The action, which will mirror traditional drink driving crackdowns, will be on top of additional enforcement usually undertaken by police during the festive season. The operation is aimed at reducing the property damage, drunken violence and sexual assaults associated with heavy drinking during Christmas and New Year.

The Premier said that hundreds police officers will be involved in the 'hot spot' operations which will run during the months of December and January and include:

•Inspections of pubs and clubs to ensure licensees are complying with responsible service of alcohol laws and other conditions of their licenses
•Plain clothes patrols dressed as part goers targeting under-age drinking and excessive levels of intoxication.
•Highly visible uniformed patrols.
•Targeted dog squad operations.

"We want to ensure that party goers can celebrate the festive season in safety," Ms Bligh said. "That's why my government will make an additional $1.5 million available to the Queensland Police Service to task

officers on overtime, in addition to their normal duties, in a state-wide blitz targeting anti-social behaviour in public areas." The Premier said the blitz will target locations such as: Brisbane CBD, Fortitude Valley,

Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Coolum, Sunshine Coast, Airlie Beach, Whitsundays, Mackay CBD, Townsville CBD and Cairns CBD. "Extra policing activity will also be undertaken in communities where Alcohol

Management Plans are in place," she added. Police Minister Neil Roberts said the police crackdown would incorporate the use of specialist areas of the police service including Tactical Crime squads, detectives,

Traffic Branch officers and general duties police. He said Liquor Licensing officers would also be involved. "Officers will be engaged in targeted, intelligence-driven operations, action plans and general patrols aimed

at these identified 'hot spots' across the state," Mr Roberts said. The Premier said the one-off additional funding boost for the QPS was an example of the government's determination to stamp-out alcohol-fuelled

violence in the community. "The far-ranging, Queensland-wide Parliamentary Inquiry into alcohol-fuelled violence and its ramifications will hand down its report next year and I look forward to that," she said.

"The government has also announced that it will fund the continuation of the highly successful One Punch Can Kill campaign in an effort to reinforce the very real consequences of violence. All it takes is one punch

for lives to be destroyed." Minister Roberts said that alcohol-fuelled violence was a very serious issue and while police would do everything possible the community must play its part as well. "People need to take

responsibility for their behaviour and actions," he said. "The fact is it is not acceptable to drink to excess, or take drugs, and then engage in violence. "Mates have also got to look after their mates. If a member of

your group is acting inappropriately then their friends should pull them aside and keep them out of trouble."

Issued by Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
22/11/2009