Operation Unite: A police blitz on drunken violence

The weekend's blitz on alcohol fuelled violence should be a stark reminder of the problems caused by alcohol misuse.

"Success, for police, would be having a weekend free from public drunkenness, from young people being arrested for breaching liquor bans, from public place violence fuelled by alcohol and from family violence incidents where alcohol is a factor," said Assistant Commissioner Viv Rickard.

"Sadly that wasn't the case this weekend. There were too many arrests and too many violent incidents where people were affected by alcohol."

Police across Australia and New Zealand deployed 9554 officers and made 2991 arrests for alcohol related offending over the duration of Operation Unite: a blitz against drunken violence, the first time police from both sides of the Tasman have joined together for such a comprehensive and coordinated action.

The Operation was launched to demonstrate the united resolve of Commissioners to change Australia and New Zealand’s culture of binge drinking in public places, and the ensuing violence, and to challenge the drinking public to take greater responsibility for their conduct.

The Commissioners agree that enforcement can only ever be one part of the solution – and that further actions are needed from a range of stakeholders if we are to successfully confront the causes and problems associated with alcohol misuse.

Over the blitz - which began at 6pm on Friday and ended 6pm Sunday - police across Australia and New Zealand deployed 9554 officers, made 2991 arrests, recorded 472 assaults and recorded 1681 licensing breaches.

"This does not paint a very good picture about the way we are conducting ourselves. Alcohol fuelled violence is one of the most pressing social challenges of our time. It is costing us millions of dollars each year and shattering many young lives and quite frankly police on both sides of the Tasman have had enough of dealing with this dangerous culture of binge drinking in public places and the aftermath."

Mr Rickard said alcohol impacts on many aspects of policing, including violent offending, homicides, drink driving, family violence incidents, accommodating intoxicated people in police cells and incidents or offending involving young people.

"The 'drink to get drunk’ culture cannot continue, or become the norm, 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."

However the weekend could be considered a success in that it has helped to raise the Australian and New Zealand profile of the issues that police and society face in regard to alcohol and offending.

Returns from the weekend (As at 10.52 am (Australian Time) 14/12)
Joint Australia / New Zealand return for Operation Unite
Day Police deployed Arrests Assaults Licensing breaches
11 Dec 4861 1468 196 993
12 Dec 4693 1523 276 688
Total 9554 2991 472 1681

New Zealand return for Operation Unite

Number of staff working on Op Unite 1310
Number of licensing breaches 108
Number of arrests for alcohol related offending 349
Number of assaults 216
Number of drink drivers detected 312

Recorded apprehensions for the same (second) weekend in December for the previous three years.

2006 2007 2008
Alcohol offences 39 81 115
Disorder 156 215 175
Assaults 194 240 210
Breaches of liquor ban 37 71 112
Incidents of people found incapacitated in public due to alcohol /and or other drugs 39 81 115

Statistics relating to alcohol in New Zealand
In New Zealand the total crime cost due to harmful alcohol and drug use is estimated at $1.1 billion. This includes costs to the victims of crime, the use of police resources, court related costs and prison.

The total social cost of harmful alcohol and drug misuse for the year 05/06 was estimated at $6.881 billion

Harmful alcohol use cost New Zealand an estimated $5.296 billion in 05/06.

It is estimated that police spent $306.3m or 32% of the police budget on Alcohol and drug related offending / issues in 05/06. On alcohol only, this equalled 172.2m, 18 % of the police budget.

At least a third of all police recorded offences in 07/08 were committed where the offender had consumed alcohol prior to committing the offence.

At least a third of recorded violence offences and family violence incidents in 07/08 were committed where the offender had consumed alcohol prior to committing the offence.

With regards to serious offending, such as homicides and incidents where force was used by police, approximately half of the alleged offenders or victims were affected by alcohol.

On an average day:
• 62 individuals are either driven home or detained in police custody due to their state of intoxication.
• 342 offences occur where police note alcohol was involved in the offending including:
30 offences for breach of a councils liquor ban
100 offences for drink driving
Approximately 5,923 compulsory breath tests and 2743 mobile breath tests are undertaken
41 licensed premises are visited to monitor compliance with the Sale of Liquor Act.

Australian Statistics
In Australia, alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost AUD $1.7billion a year, with AUD $750m alone spent on policing.
Alcohol-related harm is a major cause of death and hospitalisation, with 3000 lives lost a year and 65,000 hospitalisations.
Forty percent of people detained by police attribute their offence to alcohol consumption. A substantial proportion of assaults are alcohol-related with a significant number of hospitalisations each year associated with these assaults.

Please view the full news release online at:

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/21822.html

ENDS

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