More than 50 charges have been laid during a proactive police operation targeting anti-social behaviour and driving offences on the South Coast at the weekend.
Officers from the Southern Region High-Visibility Policing (HVP) Unit and Region Enforcement Squad coordinated a high visibility operation throughout the South Coast between Thursday 10 December and Saturday 12 December 2020 as part of Operation Summer Safe, targeting towns between Nowra and Batemans Bay.
RES and HVP officers were assisted by officers from South Coast Police District and the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command.
Of note across the three days;
– Almost 500 random breath tests and 271 random drug tests were conducted, with four charges laid for drink driving
– Six people were charged with possessing prohibited drugs, and
– 51 charges were laid for offences including drug and weapon possession, failing to leave a licensed premises and other traffic-related incidents.
Southern Region Operations Manager, Detective Superintendent Kevin McNeil, said police will continue to conduct regular patrols of tourist towns.
“We have paid particular attention to our coastal towns in recent weeks, with the influx of visitors and the weather warming up,” Det Supt McNeil said.
“We know people are keen to support our regional towns, particularly those that were affected by bushfires, but I cannot stress enough how important it is that people do so safely.
“The public needs to adhere to venues’ COVID-19 safety plans, ensure they are physically distancing and comply with the rules set by the NSW Government.
“We are also continuing to focus on safe driver behaviour and making sure people get from A to B safely,” Det Supt McNeil said.
Road safety will continue be a focus of Operation Summer Safe, with Traffic and Highway officers assisting Police Districts with targeting speeding, drink and drug driving, driving while fatigued, mobile phone and other traffic offences.
Operation Summer Safe is a high-visibility operation will be in place for the duration of summer 2020/2021 throughout regional NSW focusing on policing licensed premises, public spaces and entertainment precincts in an effort to decrease anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related violence, whilst also ensuring adherence to current Public Health Orders.
The operation will run until the end of February 2021.
