NZ, Aust unite against drunken violence 

Police chiefs from around New Zealand and Australia have come together to launch a united stand against drunken violence.

Announcing the initiative at a meeting in Perth on Thursday morning, the commissioners warned that police have "had enough" of dealing with Australia and New Zealand's dangerous culture of binge drinking in public places.

Police Commissioner Howard Broad says both New Zealand and Australia are both working on policies to help reduce the harm alcohol causes in the community, but says that they can't "arrest our way out of the problem".

"Alcohol, particularly in combination with drugs, impacts on many aspects of policing, including violent offending, homicides, drink driving, family violence incidents, accommodating intoxicated people in police cells and incidents or offending involving young people," he says.

"While legislation and enforcement are key too, changing the drinking culture is crucial."

Broad says police in New Zealand will be highlighting the work they do to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime on the weekend of December 11-12.
  
The operation will see thousands of extra police being deployed to major centres across Australia and New Zealand.
  
Police will be cracking down on alcohol violence and crime, there will be overt and covert licensing operations, random breath testings, mounted police and dog squad police on patrol.

In New Zealand the total crime cost due to harmful alcohol and drug use is estimated at $1.1 billion. This includes costs to the victims of crime, the use of police resources, court related costs and prison.

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