Tackling the town's underage drinkers
POLICE are getting set to tackle public and underage drinking around the town.
Following on from last year’s successful operation undertaken by police, Operation Snapper will begin again at the weekend and continue over the summer holiday period.
Officers will be targeting hot-spot public areas to confiscate alcohol from underage drinkers and from people drinking in public in contravention of council byelaws.
All alcohol seized by officers will be destroyed. Any underage drinker caught by police may also be liable for prosecution. Adults detected purchasing or supplying alcohol for use by juveniles can also expect prosecution.
Operation Snapper has so far resulted in the confiscation of over 26,000 items of alcohol and the detection of over 1,000 persons since it began in July 2008.
Chief Inspector, Jason Murphy, Area Commander for Craigavon, said:
“Underage drinking can lead to criminal damage, assault and fear of crime for residents in areas subject to this kind of anti-social behaviour. It presents a significant issue to our local community.
“We want to send a message to those juveniles who drink in public areas and exhibit anti-social behaviour that this will not be tolerated.
“I know, however, that the issues surrounding underage drinking are not just confined to the school holiday period. This is why we are also encouraging young people to get involved in the Summer Splash activities which are being provided by the NIO Community Safety Unit, further details of which should be in local media.”
Chief Inspector Murphy, emphasised that enforcement does have a role to play but the issues around young people's drinking cannot be tackled by any organisation working in isolation:
“Police have been working to address young people's drinking along with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland Office, Policing Board, Public Health Agency, the Department of Education and the alcohol industry.
“The current ‘You, Your Child and Alcohol’ campaign aims to challenge parents to think twice about the serious consequences underage drinking can have.
“Parents often underestimate how much influence they have on their children and hopefully this campaign will give them an opportunity to establish boundaries around alcohol.”
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Weather for Lurgan
Sunday 12 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
