Revellers be prepared for Alcohol and Steroid Testing on Streets of NSW

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It is believed that much of the violent assaults being committed in Sydney’s entertainment districts are due to a mix of alcohol and steroids, which is why the state government is looking into expanding police powers to enable them to test violent offenders for alcohol and drugs.

Currently police on the streets of Sydney who are face to face with alcohol fuelled violence are not allowed to test the intoxication levels of thugs in Kings Cross. Breathalyser tests are conducted on motorists daily by highway patrols but the “thugs” responsible for deliberate violence and misconduct aren’t being tested.

Now Don Weatherburn plans to push for a change to all that. Weatherburn, the director of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics plans to push the state government to implement the testing of offenders.

In 2002 there was a plan to introduce police sniffer dogs to Kings Cross but this introduction as opposed by the NSW Council for Civil Liberties. But now the council has promised not to oppose the testing, as long as it was aimed at serious assaults and not every drunk person.

Mr Blanks, the president of the council had this to say according to an article on Smh.com.au

art-alcoholsteroid-620x349”Police have the power to take DNA samples, hair or saliva samples. So I don’t think it’s a very radical step to give the police power to do breath-testing, or even drug testing,” Mr Blanks said.

The furore over alcohol-fuelled violence in Sydney, and calls for mandatory sentencing, which the council opposes, has prompted the civil libertarians to back alcohol and drug testing as it is a targeted measure.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/alcohol-steroid-testing-to-hit-streets-20140111-30nu8.html#ixzz2qBo3TFK9

The Police Minister Mike Gallacher responded to the calls and said that any suggestions would be considered because the main priority was to change Australia’s drinking culture.

The post on Smh.com.au went on to explain:

“Don is a highly respected adviser to the government on the real science that goes into law enforcement. Any request he may have for his research will be looked at very closely by this Government,” Mr Gallacher told Fairfax Media.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/alcohol-steroid-testing-to-hit-streets-20140111-30nu8.html#ixzz2qBo3TFK9

It is believed that we could see these changes implemented anytime now, beginning with breath testing for alcohol. Blood testing would be more complicated to implement because it would be a more complex process involving the health department.

The article goes on to discuss the importance of action in tackling alcohol fuelled assaults in Sydney’s entertainment districts,

The high profile court case of Kieran Loveridge, whose punch killed teenager Thomas Kelly in Kings Cross, relied on Loveridge’s own recollection of how much he had drunk. Police later found steroids in the home of Corey Beard, who attacked Alexander McEwen, 19, outside McDonald’s in Penrith.

”The irony is that when someone is involved in a car accident, legally they have to give blood to test for alcohol, but with these assaults they don’t,” Dr Weatherburn said. ”At the moment we know that alcohol is factor number one. But the assaults that get the publicity, someone belting four people unprovoked, it is impossible not to suspect something else is at work as well – steroids or mehthamphetamine.

”Both drugs make you angry. When combined with alcohol it is the perfect storm,” he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/alcohol-steroid-testing-to-hit-streets-20140111-30nu8.html#ixzz2qBo3TFK9

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