Police sign up with the sobering shelter

ACT Policing signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sobering Up Shelter, operated by CatholicCare, today (Wednesday, December 21) in Ainslie.

The partnership between CatholicCare and ACT Policing provides a service to the Canberra community which will assist in treating intoxicated people, whether from alcohol or drugs, found in a public place, and provide them with a safe place to sober up.

Chief Police Officer for the ACT, Roman Quaedvlieg said the partnership will continue to provide police with an alternative option to placing a person into custody in the police Watch House.

“The Intoxicated People (Care and Protection) Act 1994 (ACT) provides a legislative basis whereby people found intoxicated in public can sober up in a safe environment. The Sobering Up Shelter provides this service to the community and we support its objective and operations,” Chief Police Officer Quaedvlieg said.

The Sobering Up Shelter provides a safe place for intoxicated people to recover from intoxication and is staffed by trained and professional alcohol and other drug workers.

Information and referrals to alcohol and other drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs as well as mental health support services is also provided through the shelter.

The shelter is open from Thursday to Saturday nights from 11pm to 6am.

[Courtesy ACT Policing]