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Drink drive campaign yields positive results

The Royal Gibraltar Police reported no drink driving arrests during the Christmas break, a development attributed in large part to the public’s positive response to police awareness campaigns.

Dink driving arrests had increased during the festive breaks in recent years, but the trend was broken this December.

The RGP, in tandem with government agencies, had conducted its tradition awareness campaign in the run-up to the festive season.

But this year also saw the introduction of roadside breathalyser tests.

The combination of the two appears to have worked.

Similar to last year, no incidents of note were recorded on Christmas Eve this year despite the busy nature of the day.

Over the past five days officers attended two road traffic collisions that resulted in no arrests.

In total eight arrests were made for minor offences and reports of theft and assault were logged.

The RGP Command and Dispatch unit dealt with over 100 calls, ranging from routine enquiries to complaints of loud music and neighbourly disputes.

Last year police made two drink driving arrests during the same period and made a further 13 arrests for an array of crimes.

“We are very satisfied with how the day transpired, particularly with no drink drive arrests or road traffic collisions. A trend that has almost continued unchanged until today,” a police spokesman said.

“Overall, a family and jovial atmosphere clearly dominated the day.”

The RGP also reported a drop in smuggling activity at sea.

Although the RGP Marine Section continued routine patrols the bad weather resulted in a significant decline in the number of drug trafficking incidents.

Marine crews responded to five instances of suspected fast launch activity detected in local waters but none resulted in pursuits.

One vessel suspected of being engaged in cigarette smuggling was pursued until it headed to the Spanish coastline.

The quiet break was in sharp contrast to last year where police were involved in 10 high speed pursuits and HM Customs Officers recovered 90kg of cannabis.

 

 

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