Proceeds of crime help drunks to sleep it off

Tuesday 25 March 2014

A service which helps drunks to sober up safely and without getting in trouble with the law has been revamped with £20,000 from the Criminal Confiscation Fund.

The Drunk and Incapable Unit is run in partnership between the States of Jersey Police and the Shelter Trust. People found drunk and incapable in public places can sleep it off there instead of being arrested, which saves time and resources for the courts, police and hospital.

It means Islanders who have had too much to drink don’t face a criminal charge for a one-off event.

Manager of the facility Stuart Campbell said: “It might be thought that those using the unit are people with a drink problem, but that is not necessarily the case. The people we have coming here are the general public.

“Most people who have drunk too much are usually helped home by friends, without causing danger to themselves or to anyone else. We care for those who haven't been looked after by their friends and we provide a safe environment where they can sober up without ending up in a police cell, which is no one’s best interests.”

The new-look unit is now safer and more secure for anyone who needs to spend the night and the staff have all been given police training in how to look after people who are intoxicated.

Inspector Sarah Henderson said: “The unit provides those who have had too much to drink with a supportive environment rather than a criminal one, as it is not in the public’s interest to put these people in the court system.

“By training the staff in the same way as we do our own officers it gives them the confidence and the safety knowledge to deal with those who have too much to drink.”

The facility has been operating in Jersey for a number of years and the police say it is an invaluable service.

The UK government has been looking at similar schemes to relieve pressure on police custody suites and hospitals.