Police urge everyone to have a happy safer and sober New Year on the Coromandel!

This New Year, Waikato Police encourage people celebrating to enjoy themselves, but to be sensible, look after your mates and make sure everyone gets home safely.

Police will be out in force across the Waikato through New Year, enforcing liquor ban areas, especially across holiday hotspots like the Coromandel.

Each New Year, Whangamatā swells with young people celebrating New Year’s Eve.

At this time of the year numbers on the Peninsula swell with an extra 200,000 to 300,000 people according to the local council.

Each year police arrest many breaching the liquor ban. Liquor bans prohibit alcohol being consumed or brought into the street or public places like beaches or parks. It does not include alcohol being transported directly to a restaurant or to a private home.Anyone who breaches a liquor ban is liable for a fine of up to $250 and may also be arrested.

It is an offence to supply a minor (a person of 17 years of age, or younger) with alcohol. If you are the parent or legal guardian of a minor, and you wish to supply them with alcohol, it must be done in a safe and reasonable manner.  Failure to do so is punishable by a fine of up to $2000. Police encourage those responsible for teenagers, particularly if they are drinking, to ensure any alcohol provided is given and consumed in a safe home environment, and to not to assume their teen would not make poor decisions around alcohol. If they’re going out ensure they have eaten and consumed water, have a fully charged cellphone, a safe place to meet friends and a plan to get home safely.

We all have a responsibility to ensure our friends and whānau are safe this summer, so keep an eye out and report any concerns you have.

If you feel unsafe or have concerns about dangerous, illegal or suspicious behaviour, call Police on 111, for non-urgent concerns you can call 105 or visit https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 and report the incident online.

During New Year we often see a peak in people driving on the roads, so be patient, keep calm, drive sober and if you are feeling tired – pull over.

Please remember there are Holiday liquor bans in places around townships across the Peninsula running from December 23 to January 6.

You can check what areas are covered by the Liquor ban including maps here.

Any time, every day, we are here to help – Ao te pō, pō te ao, kei konei mātou hei āwhina.