Police Service launch test purchase of alcohol powers
01 Dec 2009
Over the Christmas and New Year period, as part of Operation Season's Greetings, the Police Service will be conducting a number of pilot ‘test purchase of alcohol operations’. Young people and their parents, guardians or carers throughout Northern Ireland are being asked for their support in order to address illegal sales of alcohol to minors.
The sale of alcohol to minors has far reaching affects on young persons and the wider community. Alcohol consumption by young people can make them more likely to be a victim of violent assault or other crimes and make them more vulnerable. In addition to concerns around health, safety and well being, there are clear and worrying connections between excessive alcohol consumption and other social problems, including anti-social and criminal behaviour. These problems directly affect young people, so their full support and co-operation is vital for the pilot test purchasing of alcohol scheme to succeed.
The Police Service is appealing for young persons between 16 and 16 ½ years of age throughout Northern Ireland to assist with test purchasing of alcohol operations. Such operations are in accordance to Article 67 of the Criminal Justice (NI) Order 2008, which created a legislative power for the test purchasing of alcohol.
Superintendent Peter Loughins from Policing with the Community Branch has emphasised that test purchasing of alcohol power is a legislative mechanism that is designed to safeguard and protect children as well as the wider community across Northern Ireland. Superintendent Loughins has requested the full support and co-operation from everyone to assist in preventing the illegal sale of alcohol to minors across the community.
“We have been working in partnership with the Department of Health, the Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Office to combat under age drinking. We also had an eight week consultation process which assisted us in taking the pilot scheme forward. The scheme is not designed to entrap licensees and their staff, or catch them off guard. It is designed to help raise licensee and staff awareness of alcohol as an age-restricted product. Selling alcohol to under 18 year olds is an offence and such irresponsible sales impact significantly upon young people and the wider community.”
Superintendent Loughins continues: “We anticipate the test purchase of alcohol scheme will encourage licensees and their staff to actively challenge persons appearing to be under 18 years old for valid proof of age identification before making an alcohol sale. The scheme is a mechanism for reducing the amount of alcohol illegally sold to persons under 18 years of age in licensed premises. It also allows us to gather evidence regarding under age sales with a view to prosecuting where appropriate, those who are found selling alcohol to minors.”
All young persons involved in test purchase of alcohol operations will be participating voluntarily and written consent will be required from the young person and their parent, guardian or carer. In addition, selected young persons will have successfully undergone a suitability and background check and their GP will have provided confirmation that they can participate in the scheme. The welfare and safety of young persons involved in test purchasing of alcohol operations are paramount and this is a primary consideration and concern within the scheme for police.
Any eligible young person wishing to take part in the test purchasing of alcohol scheme or their parent, guardian or carer can download an application form from the Youth section of the Police Service website.
