Posted on 06/08/2004 4:39:29 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
DRUNKS who vomit on streets in the Victorian city of Bendigo could be forced to clean up their mess under proposed new laws. Local authorities are considering the laws after a spate of anti-social behaviour around the city's nightspots.
"Drunken behaviour is a fair bit of a problem here and anything we can do to stop this is welcome," said Sergeant Tony Kekitch of Bendigo Police.
"Police are kept very busy each night, especially on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights."
Under proposed laws, anyone charged with anti-social behaviour would be forced to clean up the area where they were arrested.
Police say men and women aged in their mid-20s were primary offenders and had also been linked to a spate of vandalism.
Publican at Bendigo's Rising Sun hotel Patrick Sheehan said the "drunks proposal" was a practical deterrent to young people.
"It's a good way of saying we won't tolerate this type of behaviour and they know the punishment," he said.
"Other hotel owners are certainly in favour."
The planned laws are part of a number of strategies being considered by a local working party comprising 16 local organisations and stakeholder groups.
"Police, council, hotel owners, the youth sector and the Office of Correctional Services are all working together," Mr Sheehan said.
"We're also considering a late night bus service."
City of Bendigo spokeswoman Vanessa Wait said under the plan, people charged with anti-social behaviour would not be fined.
"Instead, they are hit with a community-based order to clean up that particular spot," she said.
"It's in its infancy and we're still talking to local stakeholders about the program."
However, she said, all members of the working party had given in-principle support to the initiative.
She said the system was based on a pilot program used successfully in Warrnambool, in south-west Victoria, where offenders were given community service for anti-social-related offences.
"They have applied the system successfully and we are quite interested in their results," Ms Wait said.
The working party will meet again later this month to discuss ways of introducing the laws.
I suppose the BARF ALERTs from around here would have to go...
Beer Bash at Jake's Tonite! BYOP (bring yer own pig).
It'd be nice if they could expedite sentencing so the violators had to clean up their mess while still hung over.
All your barf are belong to us?
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