Police aim to tackle alcohol related crimes in Cookstown and Dungannon

The activity supported a UK wide Alcohol Harm Initiative Weekend which ran throughout Friday 19 and Saturday 20 September 2014.

Chief Inspector Jane Humphries , Police Service of Northern Ireland said :“From the 1 April this year until 10th September**, there have been a total of 45,765 recorded crimes across Northern Ireland. Twenty percent (9,082) were alcohol related.

“In F District the number of alcohol-related crimes (from April 1st 2014 until September 13th 2014**) was 904. Broken down further, we can see that in Cookstown 184 crimes were recorded as having been alcohol-related, in Dungannon the figure was 173, in Fermanagh 291 and in Omagh the figure is 256*.

“We want to see these numbers reduced and encourage drinkers to take responsibility for their behaviour and actions on a night out.

“Over the coming weeks across all policing districts in Northern Ireland we will be focusing our efforts to tackle binge drinking and those heavily under the influence of alcohol. Our officers will be out on streets to enforce relevant legislation linked to the sale of alcohol, its consumption in public spaces and dealing with criminal behaviour that is the result of excessive drinking.”

Chief Inspector Humphries said: “There is an increasing number of people consuming large quantities of alcohol at home, before going out to a nightclub or pub. This can lead to people being extremely vulnerable; as they become intoxicated more quickly, their judgement is impaired; they can be less aware of their environment and therefore become a victim or perpetrator of crime. The police can play a role in tackling violent crime but we also need individuals to show personal responsibility.”

The Police Service of Northern Ireland will continue to work with local communities to keep people safe and deliver ‘Get Home Safe’ initiatives.