Goodwill approach to Leavers' security

Liquor stores in school leaver hotspots are being asked to follow a local store’s lead by pulling litre bottles of spirits from their shelves in a police crackdown on underage drinking.

Police have asked Busselton and Dunsborough stores to remove litre bottles during November’s Leavers Week celebrations as a “gesture of community goodwill” to avoid big alcohol bottles getting into the hands of underage teenagers.

Busselton Senior Sergeant Steve Principe said the requests were made during a pre-leavers meeting recently and also included a target on hard liquor.

“Some previous events we’ve found kids targeting the one litre bottles.

It’s all about harm reduction during leavers,” Sen. Sgt Principe said.

He said police proposed the stores be part of an accord, which would be an informal agreement between the two parties with signage displayed in stores to deter leavers.

Dunsborough-based liquor store Zinn’s was one of the first to implement the approach of its own accord in 2009 when it decided to remove high strength spirits such as Jagermeister from its shelves during Leavers Week.

Manager Gary Zinnecker said the store would continue to do so due to the success of the efforts in previous years.

“I think at the end of the day it’s not about making a profit out of the kids,” Mr Zinnecker said.

“If everyone can be doing the same thing it stops them thinking ‘oh I’ll drive to Busselton and there I can get it (alcohol).’”

Sen. Sgt Principe said licensed premises risked heavy penalties by serving alcohol to minors and asked liquor outlets to monitor car parks and look out for those supplying alcohol to minors in waiting vehicles.

Dunsborough Sergeant Craig Anderson said during a speech to Dunsborough Probus Club members recently, secondary supply was the biggest alcohol-related concern during Leavers Week.

Sgt Anderson said parents were the biggest culprits and liquor outlets had been urged to lookout for those buying alcohol for their children.

Police were also watching online blogs and social networking sites to find out the latest tactics used by leavers to conceal alcohol.

Some of the most recent tricks, Sgt Anderson said, included using coloured lollies to change the colour of vodka to disguise it as a soft drink.