Safe Summer campaign has positive results

ACT Policing’s Safe Summer campaign continues to have a positive impact on Canberrans with a further reduction in the number of Criminal Infringement Notices (CINS) issued over the three month period.

There was a 47.5 per cent reduction in the number of CINS issued for the summer period (December 2014 – February 2015) compared with the same period in 2013-14, with decreases across most categories.

The most significant decline was in penalties imposed for those persons consuming liquor in a public place (five fines handed out compared with the 27 CINS issued last year).

There was also a further drop in the number of people issued with an infringement notice for urinating in a public place (40 fines handed out last year down to 15 this year).

The only significant increase through Safe Summer came with those people who failed to leave premises when directed (up from 10 fines handed out last year to 18 this year).

Acting Officer-in-Charge of City Police Station, Sergeant Carol Uhe said police were pleased with the overall decrease in CINS handed out during the Safe Summer period.

“It indicates the messages around excessive alcohol consumption and its links to anti-social behaviour are getting through,” Sergeant Uhe said.

“There’s no doubt the increased police presence in the city by the Regional Targeting Team (RTT), using intelligence-led policing initiatives has had a positive impact.”

“It’s also clear that only through effective partnerships between police, liquor license inspectors and the people selling alcohol can we bring about significant changes in our drinking culture.”

“The RTT alongside patrols aimed to ensure that the Failing to Quit measure was more strictly enforced this summer,” she said.

“We want to ensure that bar staff no longer has to put up with abuse and threats when a patron is asked to leave, which is why the RTT delivered a “Safe Environment” message to staff at Canberra’s clubs and pubs, reminding them that they have an entitlement to feel secure and confident in the decisions they make within their workplace.”

“We actively encouraged hospitality employees to work with us on this by standing their ground against bullying and threatening patrons. Our firm advice to the staff is that if a patron is directed to leave and refuses to then call police”.

ACT Policing liaised with licensed establishments in the lead-up to and during the Safe Summer campaign and will continue to do so throughout 2015.

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