Alliance hails underage drinking crackdown this summer

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Jul 2008

Carrickfergus District Policing Partnership member Cllr Stewart Dickson

Carrickfergus District Policing Partnership member Cllr Stewart Dickson has welcomed a police crackdown on underage drinking this summer. The operation called 'Summer Splash' will run across Northern Ireland at weekends throughout the summer and the first weekend of September.

Alliance Councillor Stewart Dickson said: "I strongly welcome this initiative. It provides clear proof that if people work with police they will get action on the ground. I have previously gone on patrol with officers and have seen police confiscating alcohol and pouring it down the drain. I am pleased that this type of pro-active initiative is being rolled out on a Northern Ireland-wide basis.

"The average age that children begin drinking has fallen to 11. This is a deeply disturbing trend and must be addressed urgently. I would strongly encourage the public to assist police in combating this problem because it's the public that know where the underage drinking hotspots are in their community.

"This summer, Northern Ireland will see many summer schemes, midnight soccer initiatives and activities planned for young people, so there can be no excuse for underage drinking or anti-social behaviour."

ENDS