Police Wrap - 12 September 2010

Falcao said :

I was out in the clubs and bars both friday and saturday night, across kingston and the city. People within the clubs either ignored or laughed at the police for the ridiculous display of numbers, with some party goers even labeling the night as a Police Party.

I think it would be very interesting if our esteemed Chief Police Officer was to reveal how many out of the 24 arrested for being intoxicated and disorderly were actually charged. My best guess is that the tax payer provided an AFP baby-sitting service for the majority, if not all of the 24.

Furthermore, I witnessed three violent altercations, the police weren’t present at two of these despite their over-inflated ‘presence’. And at the third they let the instigator (an intoxicated middle aged man) go home in a taxi, without charge.

In my opinion the only foreseeable solutions to the problem are either a Public Intoxication limit, similar to a drink driving limit, in which if a reveller is tested above the legal limit they get charged with a fine, or even a 3 (or 4 or 5) strikes type system with an apt penalty being delivered after the final offence.

Or alternatively, the appropriate authorities must get serious about the responsible service of alcohol in clubs, and issue the operators of the premises with heavier or greater volumes of fines for their staff ignoring safe service of alcohol practice and serving heavily intoxicated patrons.

I think I find it both farcical and mildly offensive that the AFP can herald this as a success, when it has effectively achieved next to nothing.

Intoxication and Disorderly is not a charge.

Did you contact Police at any stage you saw a violent altercation?
Did you identify yourself as a witness prior to old mate getting sent home?
Did you have a good laugh at the men and women who are prepared to step up and do something about alcohol fueled violence?
If you did none of those things you are not part of the solution just another bystander who doesn’t want to get involved in the safety of your community.

Perhaps the ACT government needs to set up a Canberra version of the UK pubwatch; if individuals are arrested for being drunk and disorderly, they’re banned from all bars/clubs/pubs for a set period. Never know, it might work.

All they did was just sit outside Mooseheads and jump on the odd person getting kicked out of there, didn’t see much of a presence anywhere else.

I was out in the clubs and bars both friday and saturday night, across kingston and the city. People within the clubs either ignored or laughed at the police for the ridiculous display of numbers, with some party goers even labeling the night as a Police Party.

I think it would be very interesting if our esteemed Chief Police Officer was to reveal how many out of the 24 arrested for being intoxicated and disorderly were actually charged. My best guess is that the tax payer provided an AFP baby-sitting service for the majority, if not all of the 24.

Furthermore, I witnessed three violent altercations, the police weren’t present at two of these despite their over-inflated ‘presence’. And at the third they let the instigator (an intoxicated middle aged man) go home in a taxi, without charge.

In my opinion the only foreseeable solutions to the problem are either a Public Intoxication limit, similar to a drink driving limit, in which if a reveller is tested above the legal limit they get charged with a fine, or even a 3 (or 4 or 5) strikes type system with an apt penalty being delivered after the final offence.

Or alternatively, the appropriate authorities must get serious about the responsible service of alcohol in clubs, and issue the operators of the premises with heavier or greater volumes of fines for their staff ignoring safe service of alcohol practice and serving heavily intoxicated patrons.

I think I find it both farcical and mildly offensive that the AFP can herald this as a success, when it has effectively achieved next to nothing.

Unless they start having a safe legal limit for being out in public in general. It will always be too tricky to predict/manage alcohol and its behaviours.

Throw in an emotionally charged person, a drug or two and the inability to get into a club/taxi/girl’s pants and it’s anyone’s guess what trouble we’re in for.