Police are delivering on their promise to return to duty at Katherine’s bottle shops.
A survey of several Katherine outlets this week revealed a speedy response to community calls for a greater presence at the outlets.
These calls were led by Mayor Fay Miller who has met senior police over the past month to outline community fears over a rise in anti-social behaviour, believed linked to uncontrolled access to alcohol.
Commander Michael Hebb said until the new police auxiliaries arrive early next year, police would be rostered to duty at the town’s bottle shops.
“We have heightened our focus on alcohol policing strategies,” Commander Hebb said.
“People would have noticed the heightened presence of police in bottle shops.
“Police Auxiliaries start in January which will provide greater flexibility in policing alcohol outlets.”
Katherine Times saw as many as three police officers are some individual outlets during our survey this week.
Meanwhile, the NT Government has increased powers for police to combat alcohol-related crime and antisocial behaviour.
Amendments to the NT Liquor Act introduced in Parliament this week seek to:
- Provide powers to specialised police officers to undertake covert operations to capture anyone purchasing alcohol on behalf of someone on the BDR. For example, attempting to use a Taxi, ride share or similar service to knowingly circumvent the BDR.
- Allows Police Auxiliary Liquor Inspector’s (PALI) to stop a vehicle and give reasonable directions to the driver or passenger to assist them exercise Point Of Sale Intervention (POSI) powers. Previously, PALIs were only able to interact with patrons within the store itself.
- Amends s33 of Liquor Act to allow the Independent Liquor Commission to hold public hearing as part of the process of varying conditions of a licence.
The amendments form part of the Government’s suite of measures to target alcohol related crime and antisocial behaviour.
These include giving the Commissioner of Police the power to place a 48 hour suspension on licensed venues deemed to be irresponsibly selling alcohol and increasing penalties for secondary supply.
Attorney General Natasha Fyles said the government was tackling crime and antisocial behaviour by increasing Police powers to address secondary supply.
“These additional powers will give police more power and flexibility when dealing with anyone trying to illegally obtain alcohol for themselves or on behalf of another party.”
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