South Yorks: Police launch drinking campaign for the festive period

The ‘Start thinking reduce your drinking’ Christmas campaign, which launched on 2nd December, will focus on reducing alcohol-related violent crime, vulnerability, domestic abuse and underage drinking.

South Yorkshire Police will be carrying out test purchase operations which if failed on a second visit will result in the closure of the licensed premises.

Throughout December officers will be distributing fixed penalty notices and carrying out increased patrols in hotspot alcohol-related crime areas and intervening early with aggressive drunk people in the towns across the county.

Superintendent and Force lead on alcohol for South Yorkshire Police, Shaun Morley, said: “Unfortunately, on occasion some people take their celebrations to an extreme, putting extra pressure on public services over the holiday period.”

“We’re asking the public to help us by knowing their limits, drinking sensibly and not putting themselves in a vulnerable position through excessive consumption of alcohol.”

“We see too many cases where a person has had one too many and ended up being arrested for being drunk and disorderly – this has then resulted in them being convicted which has a huge impact on their lives, all because of one drunken night out.”

“Throughout the county police will be conducting different initiatives to tackle drink related crime and behaviour and we hope that disorder will be kept to the bare minimum.”

Force lead for violent crime Superintendent, Peter Norman, said: “We know that during December the number of reported incidents of domestic abuse increase.”

“We don’t want victims and their families to suffer in silence.”

“South Yorkshire Police will always take positive action whenever and wherever we can to protect victims and their families.”

“Please call the National Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 2000 247.”