Cops exempt from new drinking laws

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Tue, 24 Aug 2010 6:01p.m.

Police and defence force bars don't have to keep to the new closing hours, or face any of the tougher penalties

Police and defence force bars don't have to keep to the new closing hours, or face any of the tougher penalties

By Patrick Gower

More details are becoming clear about which drinking facilities are going to be exempt from the Government's new, tougher licensing laws.

They include police and defence force bars but not the most exclusive watering hole in the country - the politicians' and staff bar in the Beehive at Parliament.

Locked away in police stations are police bars, they don't need a liquor license - so officers drink to their own rules.

Louise Nicholas has taken the police on before. She says it is wrong and a glaring double standard.

“Police need to step up and say, ‘We are responsible. We don't need to step outside the square and be exempt from everybody else,'” says Ms Nicholas.

What's your opinion on special exemptions for the new drinking laws? - Have your say

Police Commissioner Howard Broad told the Government to drop the exemption for police bars, as it would show leadership.

But front-line officers disagreed, and he got rolled by his own minister.

“I'm actually very comfortable with trusting the police who run the police bars actually,” says Police Minister Judith Collins.

There are 41 police bars across the country. Last year Detective Sergeant John Gualter lost his job after driving home drunk from the bar at the police college.

He was two-and-a-half times over the legal limit, and was convicted and fined $1800.

The police union says officers need the bars to unwind.

“Police officers are vulnerable when they are drinking as identifiable groups out in the public - simply because those they police are more likely to have a go,” says Greg O'Connor.

Police bars don't have to keep to the new closing hours, or face any of the tougher penalties.

“I think its really important that they are subject to the same laws as the bars they are going in and enforcing laws on,” says Gerard Vaughan of the Alcohol Advisory Council.

The Beehive's bar is also exempt, but that's changing. Justice Minister Simon Power says that's to set an example on responsible drinking - even though he's no regular.

“I've only been there twice in 11 years,” he says.

Ms Nicholas says the police should now also be setting an example too.

Defence canteens and the fire service will also keep their exemptions.

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Comments

28 Aug 2010 05:29a.m.

jan.. wrote:

Police may withold the law but the Plublic have the right to exposed of any danger..
Law staff should not be drinking at the work premises but they may consider a restaurant cafe accomadation where they serve coffee breakfast, lunch, dinner and two drink to unwind at their own expenses and should open all hours..
Plublic bars reasonable hours should be from 2pm to 10pm week days,weekend Sat-12pm-11pm /Sun-7am-9pm closed..

27 Aug 2010 12:02p.m.

Jim wrote:

So Murray
Why is it a cop out by this Govt?
Are you sure your Corrections Dept had not lost it under Helengrad or even before which meant your dear helen was the cop out!!!

25 Aug 2010 11:18p.m.

Murray wrote:

It is a cop out , the Corrections Department once had their own bars for the purpose of the fact of the job, shift work and it was not a safe option to go to certain public bars(same reason as the police etc, but the powers to be (government and heads of the Justice Department back then) stopped that. Is it not strange those who make the rules can break and change the rules to suit themselve hey why should politicians etc have this privilege that the most of us do not , just question like so many more you can ask of them what is good for the goose should be good for the gander.

25 Aug 2010 06:18p.m.

GetALife wrote:

I'm relieved to see some sensible comments here as well as the same old cop bashing verbal diahorea coming from the same old unemployed muppets who can't spell.

Its funny how everyone is picking on the cops instead of the fire service or defence force. What the hell is wrong with the cops having a beer after a hard shift which often finishes in the middle of the night? Absolutley nothing, If the PC crybabies can come up with a genuine argument I would love to hear it.

25 Aug 2010 01:03p.m.

Jim wrote:

"What a cop out from this out of touch Government."
Bill - You must be a genius. It is amazing that you can write and understand the English language at your age of one-and-a-bit (since late 2008 after the last elections). Because this privilege has been part of these 3 services since Govts were first formed in this country.
To all you other 9 to 5’ers who are crying foul, try working the hours they do and the type of work they have to do and see the sights they have to see (you know, charred mangled bodies, semen splattered people, chopped up corpses – yeah must be a walk in the park type of job)!!!

25 Aug 2010 08:53a.m.

Gary wrote:

Clearly the Police are not interested in setting an example - only putting themselves above the law that they are supposed to endorse.

25 Aug 2010 08:26a.m.

John Robb wrote:

The police get enough criticism in the press; just imagine if half-pissed public and police were given the opportunity to vent their spleens in some public bars; it would be like the wild west.
I'm sure both the police and the public in general will be much happier with the continuation of the status quo.

24 Aug 2010 10:55p.m.

Kiri wrote:

This is a blatent double standard and a miscarage of justice.

24 Aug 2010 10:36p.m.

TWE wrote:

It would be easy to cry unfair but Hugh is right I think.. police, military and emergency services do often work throughout the night and it would be unfair to deny them the right to drink after work. They'd only be exempt from the closing time law, no big deal really.. at least the politicians won't be exempt, as should be the case anyway.

24 Aug 2010 10:10p.m.

arthur wrote:

Oh well, the cops can do anythinbg they want, they are so important, they don't need liquor licensing laws... they can drink and drink and have jug sessions (yes Mr Policeman and Ms Police-Woman I know what you do) and drive - who's going to bust them unless they run over a roundabout. Cops are hypocrites... The only one who emerges with cred is Howard Broad, he could see this... He has no power, can't even get police bars in his own force to have the law apply to them... good on you cops, you wun agaiun