Too many drunks getting arrested?

I was being sarcastic. Hence ‘back to reality.’

i stuffed it up but you get the point.

dexi said :

Make alcohol consumption a crime. Then drinkers would be scumbags and can be locked up in prison. This would solve the large amount of crime based around alcohol, making our homes and streets safer.

Deadmandrinking said :

Yes, Dexi, the 1920’s proved prohibition works. quote]

The 1920’s proved that prohibition did not work. It merely drove the industry underground and created a market that was not there before. People at the time generally ignored the law when it came to this as it was an affront to freedoms that people had enjoyed for hundreds of years. This is why we dont have it today.

Yes, Dexi, the 1920’s proved prohibition works.

Back to reality. This report really doesn’t seem too bad. In fact, wouldn’t the police have a bit of weight off their shoulders if they dropped a few more people off at the sobering-up shelter? I know when people think of drunks being arrested, they probably think of the usual moosehead pop-collars who’ve just had a punch-on, but I’m sure a good deal would be the serious alcoholics and people with mental-health problems. Surely for the latter, a shelter where help is availible would be a far better option than a cell?

It also says that people can nominate someone who’s custody they can be released into at the watch-house supervisor’s discretion, and that they are not being informed that they may call a lawyer. Why is this a problem for people? These are legal rights! I’m sure if one of you had a bit too much to drink and rode your bike onto oncoming traffic screaming ‘F-k the A.C.T. Judiciary’ minus pants and got tossed in a cell – you’d want to be reminded of these rights.

Bottom line is: People drink, alcohol makes you stupid, being stupid does not cost you your rights in our society.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

“You can’t arrest me for being drunk in a public place!”
“I’m not. I’m arresting you for abusing and attempting to assault passers-by, public urination and creating a disturbance. And now I’m thumping you for resisting arrest.”

ahhh, the good old days.

“You can’t arrest me for being drunk in a public place!”
“I’m not. I’m arresting you for abusing and attempting to assault passers-by, public urination and creating a disturbance. And now I’m thumping you for resisting arrest.”

petrol, nutmeg, sitting in dark places?

Getting out of our heads is what made us human enough to invent police forces.

The policing workload would drop 90% if drugs and alcohol were never invented/discovered.

Although some of the best music in the world not be, if it weren’t for the above…..

Make alcohol consumption a crime. Then drinkers would be scumbags and can be locked up in prison. This would solve the large amount of crime based around alcohol, making our homes and streets safer.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman is obnoxious himself. Did you know that he insists on his title being “Prof.”, not “Prof” or “Professor” etc…?

I can understand him still wanting the title, and even having a preferred abrev. but what is his problem with it being spelt out?

He may be a tool, but he is still entitled to use “Prof.” even though he is no longer at a university.

The issue with the report is that it is saying that we need to care and protect intoxicated people, not arrest them. It does not address the issue that some people become aggressive and abusive when drinking and run around Civic (and other night spots) acting in a disorderly and offensive way.

I am told that because of a ruling by our supreme court, a Police officer can’t be offended, so these kinds of people can’t be charged with offensive behaviour unless a member of the public puts their hand up, says they’re offended and is prepared to go to court. I would think occurring would be rare. (happy to be corrected)

What do we expect the Police to do about people like this? Do we let this behaviour carry on until it escalates into a fight or assault?

The report doesn’t address that in other states there are offences for this kind of behaviour, so the Police can take action, and get them off the street so the rest of us can enjoy our nights out. Maybe we need and offence here that can do this. Maybe people need to take responsibility when they are out drinking.

I’ve also seen the Ombudsman make inappropriate comments whilst he’s drunk at those dinners during public law weekends, conferences and the like. He’s an ignorant little sh!t.

I say let the ombudsman and the academics deal with the drunks…they seem to have all the answers….

The Commonwealth Ombudsman is obnoxious himself. Did you know that he insists on his title being “Prof.”, not “Prof” or “Professor” etc…? He’s not even been lecturing at ANU for almost 10 years.

In fact, the way he manages his office, you’d think he was drunk. It takes forever for that bum to clear anything through his office. Reports are out of date because he has to re-write everything his staff prepare and he’s a tool of the public service elite. No credability whatsoever. A mere figuehead of the public sector’s PC oligarchy.

There. I’ve said it.

Did anyone see the window washer that stands on the corner of Northbourne Av & Barry Drive today at about 4:00 pm ??

He was either VERY drunk or had taken some manner of illicit drug, After being on hold for 9 minutes to the police (131444) I gave up and decided that its not my problem if he got run over in peak hour traffic !

Should the police do something about him HELL YES !!

Another matter is he (works) in traffic he should have a yellow vest on if I tried to work on the road way with out high vis clothing on work cover would fine me

Is this fair ??

bd84 said :

More needs to be done to stop morons going out and getting themselves smashed off their face and then stumbling out and having the police arrest them. A couple of hundred dollar on the spot fine should do them.

Yes pubs/clubs should serve alcohol responsibly, but then it’s that easy for people to get around that through other people purchasing the alcohol. Self control is a good way of stopping yourself get arrested.

Two points there…the on the spot fine will not work in most cases. Imagine, drunken dickhead playing up like a pork chop, even if the copper can get his name, handing him a piece of paper will normally not stop his behaviour.

Self control is a good way of stopping yourself getting arrested: Yes it is, and it should be, but what if that self control is not in existence in the drunk? What is the poor copper to do? Walk away? Because that it what they want to do. But they can’t, they have to do something.

So they try to tell the person to go home, they try to get the persons mates to take them home, they try to tell the person they are not being arrested…they are being taken to a sober up centre…, but of course that person is drunk, they don’t want to be taken anywhere by police…but they also won’t leave. So the police have to use some force to make them leave…

Then every dickhead in the crowd films this on their mobile phone, even though the coppers have given the idiot every oppurtunity in the world to settle down, to leave, to catch a cab, be driven to a sober up centre.

Prof. McMillan said that ‘Being drunk in a public place has not been an offence in the ACT since 1983…
By coincidence that was back when we were governed by the Federal Government, and when Bob Hawke was PM.

More needs to be done to stop morons going out and getting themselves smashed off their face and then stumbling out and having the police arrest them. A couple of hundred dollar on the spot fine should do them.

Yes pubs/clubs should serve alcohol responsibly, but then it’s that easy for people to get around that through other people purchasing the alcohol. Self control is a good way of stopping yourself get arrested.

jenny green said :

OK – perhaps not beaten up but injured due to what was perceived by the parties to be excessive use of force…

Yes…I notice that the report chooses in almost every case study to use ones which are by people who by their own admission are so drunk/stoned that they cannot actually remember what happened. But are sure they didn’t need to be taken away from whatever they were involved in…in fact they were leaving of their own accord…well…anyway they can’t remember…but that’s what they think they were doing…and if the evil police officer had just asked them to leave they would have.

OK – perhaps not beaten up but injured due to what was perceived by the parties to be excessive use of force…

I read the report and there is nothing in there about beating people up before going to the watch house ??

“We’ve done this for a few years now without anyone causing any grief for themselves or anyone else.”

Perhaps someone will sacrifice themselves this year to get the real scoop!

123qwe said :

Perhaps some members of this site will get some first hand experience of police actions when dealing with drunkards on 01 November!

http://the-riotact.com/?p=9407

We’ve done this for a few years now without anyone causing any grief for themselves or anyone else.

bigfeet said :

jenny green said :

Posts crossed. I think Prof McM’s sentiments are commendable… Even obnoxious wankers have the right not to be beaten up when taken to the watch-house for sobering up…

Who said anything about them being beaten up? Cops don’t want to take stupid drunks into their custody, but sometimes they have no other option. There is no where else to take them, normally they ask their friends to take responsibilty for them and get them home, but that doesn’t always work, the public expects the cops to do something about people behaving unsociably in public, they are in a no-win situation.

What do you suggest?

Can you please post your address on line? Then instead of taking them to the watchhouse, they could all be dropped at your place.

Read the report.

Special G said :

Police are just dealing with the after effects of irresponsible service of alcohol. If clubs pulled their finger out then there would be less problems.

That said people will always be obnoxious wankers on the piss who need somewhere to cool their heels.

I agree. Clubs and pubs are continuing to serve people alcohol to the point where they are incoherent and hardly able to stand. They then throw them out onto the street where they are picking fights, abusive and unable to look after themselves. The police have to take them in for their own protection.

Police resources are much better used in preventing real crime rather than hoovering up drunks but that is, unfortunately, what they are required by law to do. Individuals and pubs need to take more responsibility for their actions. As does ACT Liquour Licencing – underage drinking is the least of your worries.

And to Jenny green’s obnoxious wanker friends – you no doubt know you are obnoxious wankers when you are pissed – so just stay home.

Perhaps some members of this site will get some first hand experience of police actions when dealing with drunkards on 01 November!

http://the-riotact.com/?p=9407

I have heard comments on radio recently in NSW about issuing on the spot fines for drunken fools in public. Good or bad thing?

I personally think intoxicated people deserve to be hit in the hip pocket if they are confirmed to be acting like a dickhead. However I don’t think a monetary fine will prevent the behaviour occurring in the first place.

It would be interesting to see how ‘dickheadedness’ would be defined in legislation.

The service of alcohol is one issue that needs greater debate. Everyone should be free to get on the gas as they see fit. However the people running the pubs should be held to account if their patrons are continually featuring on the dickheadedness radar of the police.

jenny green said :

Posts crossed. I think Prof McM’s sentiments are commendable… Even obnoxious wankers have the right not to be beaten up when taken to the watch-house for sobering up…

Who said anything about them being beaten up? Cops don’t want to take stupid drunks into their custody, but sometimes they have no other option. There is no where else to take them, normally they ask their friends to take responsibilty for them and get them home, but that doesn’t always work, the public expects the cops to do something about people behaving unsociably in public, they are in a no-win situation.

What do you suggest?

Can you please post your address on line? Then instead of taking them to the watchhouse, they could all be dropped at your place.

Posts crossed. I think Prof McM’s sentiments are commendable… Even obnoxious wankers have the right not to be beaten up when taken to the watch-house for sobering up…

commendable sentiments…

Police are just dealing with the after effects of irresponsible service of alcohol. If clubs pulled their finger out then there would be less problems.

That said people will always be obnoxious wankers on the piss who need somewhere to cool their heels.