Fed: Police say they will not back down on alcohol-fuelled crime

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2009
Fed: Police say they will not back down on alcohol-fuelled crime

By Stephanie Gardiner

SYDNEY, Dec 12 AAP - Police across the nation will again be out in force on Saturday
night, remaining vigilant after arresting hundreds of people in a sweeping crackdown on
alcohol-fuelled violence.

On the first day of Operation Unite, covering Australia and New Zealand, the largest
number of arrests were made in NSW, with a total of 516 charges laid against 333 people
across the state on Friday night.

The charges were for offences ranging from assault and affray to drug possession and robbery.

Two police officers were hospitalised after separate incidents during the operation.

One officer was allegedly king hit at Ryde police station, while another officer was
hurt after climbing a fence to pursue a man in Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's southwest.

A 38-year-old Carlingford man was due to appear in Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday
over the attack at Ryde.

Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens said police were sick of dealing with drunk people.

"There seems to be a theme that keeps running at the moment which is simply add alcohol
and you get an instant idiot," Mr Owens told reporters in Sydney.

He said police would not back down during the rest of the operation which runs until
6am on Sunday.

"1,200 police, we're not backing off. We're going to have the same number out there
again tonight.

"I'm telling people what we're doing, I'm telling people what we're targeting. The
message isn't getting through."

"Each day, we're going to put the mouthguard in and back up."

WA Police made 142 arrests for anti-social behaviour and visited 342 licensed premises
and 184 other venues including sporting and social events during the crackdown.

In Victoria at least 800 additional officers on foot and in van patrols were joined
by plain-clothed licensing police inside venues, traffic units and booze buses at nightspot
areas in Melbourne, Geelong, Frankston, Bendigo, Ballarat and Bairnsdale.

Victoria Police have not yet released arrest figures for the first night of the operation
but said reveller numbers were lower than usual in central Melbourne.

Superintendent Rod Wilson told AAP police were "generally pleased" with behaviour in the city.

"We didn't have a big influx of people into the city," he said.

"Although arrests for drunks were up, you've got to balance that with the numbers of
police - 400 extra in two sectors of the city.

"With more police out there, there's more chance of arrests."

In Brisbane, an adult was caught supplying liquor to a minor and 73 drivers were caught
drink driving throughout Queensland.

One the opening night of the blitz, Queensland police attended 867 licensed establishments
and detected 101 licensing breaches, handed out 156 liquor infringement notices and forced
135 people to move on.

Besides the crackdown on alcohol-related violence, Queensland police also dealt with
a number of juveniles with a dozen being arrested, nine cautioned and seven issued with
Notices to Appear.

Police in other states were also mostly pleased with the behaviour of revellers.

NT police made 16 arrests for alcohol-related offences and forced people to tip out
79 litres of alcohol on Friday night.

Acting deputy commissioner Grahame Kelly said extensive publicity about the operation
and wet weather in Darwin contributed to the lower than usual total of arrests in the
state capital.

"Most people certainly appeared to be enjoying themselves and doing the right thing,"

Mr Kelly said.

"There is always a few who spoil it. There were a few clowns who could barely walk,
falling over, generally abusive and obnoxious."

ACT Police arrested 27 people, SA police made 21 arrests in Adelaide and 10 people
were arrested in Hobart.

AAP sg/mmr/de

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