Battle of the booze in South

Police say they’re on the side of residents fighting the spread of liquor outlets in South Auckland.

People opposed to new liquor licences being issued and existing ones renewed in the area say they want police to stand with them against such applications.

Operations manager Inspector Tracy Phillips says Counties Manukau police’s district licensing unit conducts criminal checks to establish if applicants are ‘‘fit, proper and responsible’’ to hold a licence under the Sale and Supply

‘‘Our purpose is to make New Zealand a safer country ... ’’