CINS campaign messages sink in over Summer

ACT Policing’s Safe Summer campaign appears to have made an impact on Canberrans with an overall reduction in the number of Criminal Infringement Notices (CINS) issued over the three month period.

There was a 22 per cent reduction in the number of CINS issued for the summer period (November 2013 – February 2014) compared with the same period in 2012-13, with decreases across most categories.

While there was a slight drop in the number of people issued with an infringement notice for consuming liquor in public places, from 36 tickets last period down to 27 this summer, the most significant decline were in penalties imposed for urinating in public places, with 38 fines handed out compared with the 56 CINS issued last year. The majority were male offenders, with only two females infringing.

City Police Station Sergeant Jeff Knight said the decrease indicated the messages about excessive alcohol consumption and its links to anti-social behaviour are getting through. The increased police presence in the city by the Regional Targeting Team, using intelligence-led policing initiatives has had a positive impact.

“Police issued just seven fines over the summer to people who refused to leave licensed premises once asked; that’s down from 10 the previous year,” Sergeant Knight said.

“We are also very much aware that only through effective partnerships between police, liquor licence inspectors and the people selling alcohol we will bring about significant changes in our drinking culture.”

In the lead-up to and during the Safe Summer campaign, ACT Policing liaised with licensed establishments and set out to educate patrons on the financial costs associated with CINS including defacing property, urinating in public places, consuming liquor in a public place, supply liquor to an intoxicated person, failing to cease noise from premises, abuse threaten or intimidate staff.