BRISBANE: Police from Brisbane’s Metropolitan North Region will be cracking down on drunken violence on December 11 and 12 as they join officers around the country in Operation Unite.
The Metropolitan North police region is one of eight Queensland Police Service regions in the state and covers the North Brisbane, Brisbane Central, Brisbane West and Pine Rivers police districts. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said Operation Unite had been planned to coincide with the start of the Christmas party season, with a focus on crime, violence and anti-social alcohol-related behaviour.
“Alcohol-fuelled violence is one of the most pressing social challenges of our time,” Mr Atkinson said.
“It is costing us millions of dollars each year and damages many young lives.”
Professor Jake Najman, of the University of Queensland’s Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre, said: “This operation is the beginning of a concerted push in Australia to actually take action to deal with the problem of binge drinking.”
He said binge drinking should be made as unattractive as smoking. “We have a culture of binge drinking in Australia and we need to send a message that this is unacceptable, it is damaging to health and society,” Prof Najman said.
Queensland Hotels Association chief executive Justin O’Connor welcomed Operation Unite but called for a sustained police effort to target anti-social behaviour.
Issued by City News 30th November
http://city-news.whereilive.com.au/news/story/metropolitan-north-police-to-unite-against-drunken-violence/
The Metropolitan North police region is one of eight Queensland Police Service regions in the state and covers the North Brisbane, Brisbane Central, Brisbane West and Pine Rivers police districts. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said Operation Unite had been planned to coincide with the start of the Christmas party season, with a focus on crime, violence and anti-social alcohol-related behaviour.
“Alcohol-fuelled violence is one of the most pressing social challenges of our time,” Mr Atkinson said.
“It is costing us millions of dollars each year and damages many young lives.”
Professor Jake Najman, of the University of Queensland’s Alcohol and Drug Research and Education Centre, said: “This operation is the beginning of a concerted push in Australia to actually take action to deal with the problem of binge drinking.”
He said binge drinking should be made as unattractive as smoking. “We have a culture of binge drinking in Australia and we need to send a message that this is unacceptable, it is damaging to health and society,” Prof Najman said.
Queensland Hotels Association chief executive Justin O’Connor welcomed Operation Unite but called for a sustained police effort to target anti-social behaviour.
Issued by City News 30th November
http://city-news.whereilive.com.au/news/story/metropolitan-north-police-to-unite-against-drunken-violence/
