THE shutters are to come down on 'sunshine bars' as Carrick PSNI calls time on drinking in public areas.
Operation Snapper begins tomorrow (Friday) and continues over the summer holiday period.
Following the success of a similar initiative last year, officers will be targeting hot-spot public areas to confiscate alcohol from underage drinkers and fro
m those drinking in contravention of council byelaws.
All alcohol seized by officers will be destroyed. Any underage drinker caught by police or adults detected purchasing or supplying alcohol for use by juveniles can expect prosecution.
Chief Inspector, Natalie Wilson, Area Commander for Carrickfergus, said: “Underage drinking can lead to criminal damage, assault and fear of crime for residents in areas subject to this kind of anti-social behaviour. It presents a significant issue to our local community.
“We want to send a message to those juveniles who drink in public areas and exhibit anti-social behaviour that this will not be tolerated.
“I know, however, that the issues surrounding underage drinking are not just confined to the school holiday period. This is why we are also encouraging young people to get involved in the Summer Splash activities which are being provided by the NIO Community Safety Unit, further details of which should be in local media.”Operation Snapper has so far resulted in the confiscation of over 26,000 items of alcohol and the detection of over 1,000 persons since it began in July 2008.
Chief Inspector Wilson, emphasised that enforcement does have a role to play but the issues around young people's drinking cannot be tackled by any organisation working in isolation.
She said “Police have been working to address young people's drinking along with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland Office, Policing Board, Public Health Agency, the Department of Education and the alcohol industry.
“The current ‘You, Your Child and Alcohol’ campaign aims to challenge parents to think twice about the serious consequences underage drinking can have.
“Parents often underestimate how much influence they have on their children and hopefully this campaign will give them an opportunity to establish boundaries around alcohol."
