The prevalence and characteristics of alcohol related incidents requiring police attendance

Abstract

Purpose – To investigate the prevalence and impact of alcohol-related incidents on police resources in a major Australian region.
Design/methodology/approach – Participants in the current study were first response operational police officers who completed a modified activity log over a 5 week period, identifying the type, time spent on, and the number of alcohol-related incidents that were attended (N = 31090).
Findings - The findings indicate that a substantial proportion of current police work involves attendance at alcohol-related incidents i.e., 25%. The most common incidents police attended were vehicle and/or traffic matters, disturbances and offences against property, which were also the most likely to involve alcohol. These events are most likely to occur in the early hours of the morning on the weekends, and importantly, usually take longer for police to complete than non-alcohol related incidents.
Originality/value - The findings highlight the pervasive nature of alcohol across a range of offences and provides a current perspective regarding the considerable impact that alcohol-related crime has on policing resources.