ABC rides along as police target public disorder and crime in Canberra's CBD

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A month-long policing blitz is underway in central Canberra following growing complaints from businesses. The ABC joined officers for a night on the beat to experience their efforts firsthand.

Transcript

00:00It's just past midnight in the heart of Canberra, and near-freezing temperatures aren't stopping

00:10the party. Police are also on the move, checking out a spot they call Cocaine Lane.

00:23Two men are arrested and searched.

00:26We've located cocaine on the bin that they were chopping up at the time and preparing

00:31to use.

00:32The pair is referred to a drug diversion program, and police move on with their night.

00:39More officers have been deployed across Canberra's CBD as part of the City Safe campaign. It

00:45launched earlier this month, after complaints from local businesses about a spate of anti-social

00:51behaviour.

00:52Drinking in public, youth sort of belligerence and low-level crime type activities.

00:59Kushwant Darnoah's inner-city barbershop has been repeatedly targeted, racking up thousands

01:05of dollars in damage.

01:06It is extremely frustrating and slightly demoralising for a business owner. It's not just the cost,

01:13it's the time and effort.

01:15This police operation is set to run for another three weeks. Officers have been pulled in

01:21from teams across the ACT to ensure there can be boots on the ground in the CBD 24 hours

01:28a day.

01:29Police say statistics don't show a crime spike in the city, but believe extra bodies will

01:34still help.

01:35There was a serious assault that happened in this section of the alleyway and there

01:38were a number of witnesses that moved through that we're trying to identify.

01:42Welfare is a big part of the team's remit too.

01:44I want to find your friends because you are struggling.

01:49Police escorting this man to the overnight first aid team after a night gone too far.

01:55So MDMA, alcohol, pot.

01:58People are out here to have a good time and we're here to make sure that good time doesn't

02:01turn bad.

02:02The door remains open for the City Safe campaign to be extended. Either way, these officers

02:08have more long nights ahead.

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