Spotlight on drugs, booze

By Shaun Inguanzo
DRUG and alcohol counsellors will roam a Doveton park in a bid by the City of Casey, local residents and Victoria Police to reduce disruptive behaviour.
Endeavour Hills Police Senior Sergeant Russell Patten this week revealed that Autumn Place Reserve in Doveton had become the focus of a large project to reduce the amount of drinking and drugging in the public place.
Sen Sgt Patten said residents had complained for some time about the noise and anti-social behaviour, including alcohol bottles being smashed on the ground.
He said the usual pattern of behaviour was for people to purchase alcohol from a nearby liquor store then consume it in the reserve.
Sen Sgt Patten said people were reportedly using illicit drugs at the reserve, too.
Intoxicated and high park goers then cause grief for Autumn Place residents as they create excessive noise and conduct themselves violently, he said.
But a coalition of local traders, police, the City of Casey and the Doveton Eumemmerring Crime and Safety Action Group will from this week launch an operation designed to eradicate the drinking, drug abuse and bad behaviour.
The City of Casey has erected signage in the reserve to notify the public that it is a breach of local laws to carry an open container of alcohol in the park.
Over the next two weeks, Sen Segt Patten said drug and alcohol counsellors would roam the reserve talking to park goers and assisting where necessary with their rehabilitation from alcohol and drug abuse.
After two weeks, police will then sweep through the park fining anyone in breach of the by-law $100 on the spot.
Sen Sgt Patten said the operation was a generous way of giving people suffering addictions or health problems an opportunity to seek help before police took action.
“The drug and alcohol counsellors will provide an opportunity for people to address health issues before we move in,” he said.
But he did warn that police would still fine people who did not seek help and continued to breach the law during the two-week counselling period.