Qld: Police don t want to be cabbies for drunks

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2000
Qld: Police don t want to be cabbies for drunks

By Debra Nowland

BRISBANE, Feb 17 AAP - A proposal for police to drive intoxicated people home would
create the impression the force was a taxi service for drunks, Queensland's police union
said today.

The Queensland government plans to introduce the new rules into state parliament later
this year amid concern over the level of public drunkenness in regional communities such
as Cairns, Townsville and Mt Isa.

The new rules would give police greater flexibility in handling intoxicated people
by placing them into the hands of a "suitable carer".

But Queensland Police Union general secretary Merv Bainbridge said it would be "demeaning"

to police to be perceived as taxi drivers for drunks.

Mr Bainbridge said the system would only work as long as intoxicated people had a home
to go to or a detox centre.

"It's a reasonable idea ... but it would still be a time-consuming exercise for officers,"

Mr Bainbridge said.

Police Minister Tom Barton said the proposal would keep people out of watchhouses,
and reduce the number of prosecutions for public drunkenness.

Mr Barton said at present, police had no choice but to arrest people, take them to
watchhouses and supervise them until they were released.

He said it would be "cynical" to say police would be turned into taxis for drunks.

"Police are already spending vast amounts of time transporting, processing and locking
up drunks," Mr Barton said.

State cabinet decided to reject a proposal to decriminalise public drunkenness because
it had not worked in other states.

"Police in other states have found that while they cannot arrest people for public
drunkenness they have to arrest them for associated offences such as behaving in a disorderly
manner. Therefore, the whole purpose of decriminalisation is defeated," Mr Barton said.

AAP dn/sc/ej/br

KEYWORD: DRUNKS LEAD

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