Top NT cop clueless.

Re: "Top NT cop slams drinking culture" page 3 story, NT News, Sat May 31.

Little wonder the NT Police are in such a state of disarray.

Their leader is clueless.

Yes, people should take more responsibility for their own behavior. But unless this is impressed upon them, through responsible education, and effective police action, they wont.

The NT police's "turn a blind eye" response to the blatant breaches of the Liquor Licensing Act taking place in our pubs and clubs has resulted in free for all approach to the sale of alcohol by those pubs and clubs.

Just as their "turn a blind eye" approach to the Road Traffic Act has resulted in high levels of carnage on our roads.

(The breaches of the second are often the consequence of the breaches of the first.)

Do you really expect those who have a vested interest in the sale of alcohol to voluntarily restrict their profits?

Perhaps I should remind the commissioner that it is against the law (that the police are supposed to uphold) to serve alcohol to an intoxicated person.

One does not need to be "obviously drunk" to be intoxicated. One becomes intoxicated to a blood alcohol level of .03 after one standard drink. It takes three hours (approx) to return to zero. So technically, it is illegal to serve drinks to an individual at a rate greater than one every three hours.

Do you honestly believe that all those drunks in Mitchell St on Sat and Sun mornings, got that drunk on their last drink?

Why are our police officers simply hanging around out the front of the clubs like glorified bouncers?

Are they frightened to step on a few influential toes?

Let's not beat around the bush. Publicans and licensees are "drug dealers", and their bar staff are their runners.

They are responsible for the destruction of the lives of too many of our young citizens, and the disruption and heartache to the lives of their families. All in the name of profit.

It's a pity you don't take the aforementioned Acts a seriously as the NT Misuse of Dugs Act. But of course that one is your pet, since you wrote it.

I guess it's really all about headlines and politics, power and influence, and who's making the profits, not "protecting and serving" the community.

Just who exactly are you "protecting and serving"?

Robert Fyffe