DRUG DOGS HIT OUR CBD CLUBS

Police and nightclubs co-operate in clean-up

DRUG squad dogs, brawler vans and major police patrols are being used to crack down on drug use in Geelong’s nightclub scene.

Dogs sniffed out more than 50 people of interest on Saturday, in a police operation supported by nightclub owners.

Patrons said drug dogs identified people lining up to enter clubs including Home House and Lamby’s, who were then pulled aside and searched.

Geelong divisional unit Sergeant Mark Thompson said the successful operation was developed in co-operation with venue owners.

Officers seized speed, MDMA and a variety of tablets and arrested four people who have been charged and placed on diversion.

Sgt Thompson said many of the people identified were not in possession of drugs at the time but admitted to taking a range of illegal substances, including cocaine, before heading out.

He said police also found abandoned bags of drugs in nightclub lines while more than 20 police patrolled parts of the CBD.

“We know people are using party drugs before they go out,” Sgt Thompson said.

“They pre-load — on drugs or alcohol — before they go out and we are hoping that this operation will deter this behaviour.”

He said the operation helped police enforce the law and track down offenders while also acting as a deterrent for people who considered taking drugs.

“By having those numbers of police patrolling the street we are hoping to get people to see us and that will have a positive effect,” he said.

“Most people are out to have a good time but we are still seeing people pre-loading before going to a nightclub.”

Geelong nightclub owner Darren Holroyd welcomed the police operation.

Mr Holroyd, who oversees venues including Lamby’s and CQ, said he believed behaviour in the city’s entertainment precinct was the best he had seen in his 25 years in the industry and had improved dramatically following the formation of the liquor accord.

He said the formation of the accord, bringing together police and venue owners, was sparked by a number of incidents in the mid-2000s, including the rape of a schoolgirl.

“I believe the streets and the venues are the best we have seen and the liquor accord has come up with really good initiatives,” Mr Holyrod said.

“While we have seen drug use increase, operations like what we saw over the weekend encourages vigilance and acts as a deterrence.”

Mr Holroyd and Sgt Thompson said the introduction of ID scanners had resulted in banned people being turned away from all licensed venues and had made the enforcement of tough penalties much easier.

Anyone detected with drugs in and around venues will be charged or be issued a 12month ban from licensed premises.

“We want people out there enjoying themselves but we won’t stand for drugs, we won’t stand for violence and we won’t stand for intoxication,” Sgt Thompson said.

“(People) preload — on drugs or alcohol — before they go out and we are hoping that this operation will deter this behaviour.”

SERGEANT MARK THOMPSON