NT Police to be out in full force this New Year’s Eve

TERRITORIANS boozing up on New Year’s Eve have been warned police will be out in full force with extra cops and sniffer dogs as revellers welcome in 2019.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said New Year’s Eve was one of the busiest times of year for first responders in the NT and they would be ramping up police presence across hot spots in Darwin and Palmerston.

Dedicated patrols including mounted police and dog operations units will be out on the streets, on top of NT Police’s normal frontline responders.

“We will focus on road safety, the responsible service of alcohol, anti-social or other illegal behaviour, public safety and generally generating a safe environment for the community,” Mr Wurst said.

“The public has a significant stake in achieving our outcomes. They should be aware that if they behave irresponsibly then police will have to move from a community safety and engagement focus, to enforcing the law, including asking people to move on or taking them into protective custody if they’ve had too much to drink.

“We would prefer not to have to see people ringing in the new year in a police cell and we’d ask everyone to act sensibly when enjoying their night out, however we are prepared for all possibilities.”

RDH emergency medicine director Didier Palmer said every year around New Year’s Eve the hospital had even more patients in the emergency department with alcohol-related trauma. Over the Christmas period about 240 patients were admitted each day.

“We already have the highest rates of blunt and penetrative trauma, the highest rates of facial fractures and the highest measured rates of domestic violence – but 70 to 90 per cent of that is all fuelled by alcohol,” he said.

“We see a spike in all of these events around the new year period. So drink responsibly and don’t spend your new year in the emergency department or trauma centre.”

Health Minister Natasha Fyles said from police officers to hospital staff, hundreds of people had given up celebrations with their families to ensure Territorians could be safe this holiday season.

“Fire and ambulance crews and the staff at our six Territory hospitals will also work around the clock to ensure Territorians can access the services they need,” she said.