Commissioner backs new approach to tackle street drinking
John Campion is backing a new approach to tackle street drinking. The Commissioner gave input and helped to fund the national guidance which is being unveiled at the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners’ annual conference today.
The project, led by Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping and involving PCCs from across the country, puts forward tough measures to deal with street drinkers who are most resistant to treatment or help.
Research estimates that “change resistant” street drinkers cost individual local authority areas anywhere between £300,000 and £4m per year. The new guidance, written by Alcohol Concern, recommends developing partnership working to reduce the impact on public resources.
Commissioner John Campion says “Street drinking impacts across a range of public services; police and other blue light partners, health service and local authorities, so it’s important we work together. Through tackling this issue, we also open up a gateway to tackling a number of other serious issues.
It is this joined up approach which will reduce the drain on police resources, and of those of our partners, whilst making a positive impact for the most vulnerable people.”
The commissioner already provides more than £500,000 for substance dependency programmes across the West Mercia area. This includes £426,720 towards programmes which include support for recovering from alcohol dependency.
Issued: Thursday 17th November 2017
