Policing of drink and drug abusers is PCC’s key focus

ESSEX police and crime commissioner Nick Alston is looking to reduce the demands placed on officers dealing with drink and drug abusers.

Mr Alston (pictured) has pledged to ensure a greater level of shared responsibility in tackling the issue with organisations outside of the police, particularly the hospitality industry.

“Excessive alcohol consumption fuels or drives much violent crime including domestic abuse,” he said in his Police and Crime Plan.

“There is a similar link between drugs and certain types of criminality. Tackling alcohol and drugs abuse in conjunction with partners, including Trading Standards, will bring considerable social benefits, including a positive impact on crime and disorder and reducing demand on policing.”

He acknowledged that tackling alcohol and drugs misuse was “a complex issue” and pledged to review the area more thoroughly, identifying new and cross-cutting approaches in partnership with others, especially the Essex Drug and Alcohol Action Teams.

Mr Alston is also encouraging the use of restorative justice to prevent young people entering the criminal justice system.
As an “excellent example” of restorative justice, he highlighted the “triage” programme in Southend, in which arrested young people work with the council’s Youth Offending Service instead of being prosecuted.

Essex Police is about to enter the third year of a four-year change programme to save over £42 million from the annual budget by March 2015.