Police chief tells court fewer police officers makes tackling drunkenness harder

Thu, 22 Feb 2018

Chief Constable Gary Roberts

The Chief Constable says the reduction in police officers in the neighbourhood teams can be felt when tackling drunkenness.

Gary Roberts was speaking at the triennial sessions of the Island's Licensing Court.

Chief Constable Roberts praised the licensing trade for its part in tackling problems caused by alcohol, and complimented the work of the police's Alcohol Unit.

However, he revealed the reduced number of officers in the neighbourhood policing teams means fewer routine patrols are now carried out in licenced premises.

The Chief Constable also confirmed he's expecting the government's new substance misuse strategy to introduce a minimum per unit pricing for alcohol.

Police figures show offences linked to drunkenness have declined in each of the past three years.