Staffordshire Police

iDrink Campaign Calling

Police and partners are highlighting the harm caused by excessive drinking as part of a Christmas campaign.

Alcohol played a part in over a third of all crimes of violent crime with injury across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent in the six months between 1 April and 30 September.

To supplement the work of Staffordshire Police’s Operation Safer Nights to tackle drink-related town centre violence and disorder, the force is launching its ‘iDrink’ campaign. Flyers are being produced which resemble the screen of an iPhone with icons representing the possible harm caused by alcohol. The screen includes the header of ‘iMake myself more vulnerable’ and includes icons such as ‘iVomited’, ‘iGot pregnant’,’iHad a fight’ and ‘iFell over’. These will be distributed to revellers in town and city centres, initially and then through Joint Operations Groups to partners and youth workers and also the Pubwatch network.

On the rear of the leaflet is information about the Immobilise website which allows phones and other personal property to be registered meaning it can be returned more easily to its owner if lost or stolen.

The force is also supporting the Staffordshire Safer Roads Partnership’s ‘Game over’ campaign which is warning drivers that they may still be unfit to drive the next morning if they’ve been drinking. Officers will be carrying out routine spot checks on drivers and any found to be over the limit will be prosecuted. Drivers who would like to know whether they are likely to have alcohol still in their system the next morning can use the web calculator on the Safer Roads Partnership’s website http://www.staffssaferroads.co.uk/gameover to check.  

Nationally, every minute alcohol-related problems cost the UK economy around £48,000.  Every hour more than 100 people go to hospital in England and Wales with an alcohol-related condition. Every day more than 40 people die as a result of alcohol in England and Wales. Every week more than 100 children call ChildLine upset about their parents’ drinking – some as young as five years old.

As well as town centre violence, alcohol affects other areas of crime and disorder in Staffordshire. Recently, almost 53 per cent of offenders in Staffordshire supervised by the Probation Service were assessed as having alcohol problems. Anti-social and nuisance behaviour are also often linked to alcohol consumption and five per cent of fires in Staffordshire are alcohol-related. Nationally, around a third of incidents of partner violence occur when the perpetrator has been drinking.

Alcohol-related violent crime is falling - there were 427 fewer offences in the county policing area (a fall of 23 per cent) and a 30 per cent fall in Stoke-on-Trent (341 fewer crimes) from April 2011 to October 2011 compared with the same period last year. But during this period there were still 2,224 reported incidents of alcohol-related violence across the force area.

County policing lead on alcohol harm, Chief Superintendent Jon Drake said: “Excessive drinking is a factor in a range of crime and disorder problems - such as violence, domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour. It also plays a part in a number of social and health problems which is what the iDrink campaign tries to illustrate.

“Over the festive period, we want people to enjoy themselves safely in our town and city centres, while being aware of the risk they pose to themselves and others if they drink too much. If you are under the influence of alcohol, you’re more likely to be a victim or perpetrator of crime, with potentially very serious consequences.

“We need people to play their part by thinking before they drink – not just at Christmas time, but all year round.”

Staffordshire County Councillor Robert Marshall, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Community Safety, said: “It is important that people understand the real harm that excessive alcohol consumption can do to our communities. This can be particularly true over the festive period but ours is an all-year focus.
“With our partners we will continue to find ways to reduce the various problems which can be caused by alcohol and help people to realise that they can enjoy themselves responsibly.

“Our trading standards team helps to ensure licensed premises carry out proper age checks and is currently carrying out a major operation to stop the sale of counterfeit alcohol which can cause serious harm to people.
“Through our continued initiatives with colleagues at the police, health and licensing authorities, we want to ensure that Staffordshire is a place where people can live safe, healthier and more fulfilling lives - an objective which is a county council priority.”

Councillor Gwen Hassall, cabinet member for housing and neighbourhoods at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The city council is working closely with Staffordshire Police and other partners to highlight ways residents can help keep themselves safe this Christmas. It is great news for the city that alcohol related violent crimes have fallen by 30 per cent in Stoke-on-Trent in the past year and we want to reduce that figure further.”