Investment

10:37am Thursday 7th February 2008

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I WATCHED the press conference after the Garry Newlove murder trial and was amazed at the bravery and self control displayed by Garry's wife Helen.

She spoke of how the justice system has let her and other families down. I agree wholeheartedly.

I am a serving police officer working in a busy inner city area with similar issues. However, when senior police officers talk of limited resources to tackle anti-social behaviour I think of the amount of officers that are engaged day in day out targeting motorists for minor offences, officers working on diversity projects and other initiatives that the public really do not care about.

All they want is to see a visible, familiar police presence in their neighbourhhoods. The argument regarding police and community support officers is now dead in the water; they are here to stay, love them or loathe them.

This horrific incident should, in reality, be a watershed in relation to the drunken violence that is a pervading evil in our broken down society.

I am sad to say that this will not be the case, this is now the norm in towns and cities throughout this once green and pleasant land. The issues surrounding youth thuggery and alcohol will be present until the Government takes the strongest stance and grasps the nettle. Young people in possession of alcohol should be detained and placed in juvenile detention rooms that should be available in all police stations utilising the staff that would normally be persecuting the average Joe in his or her car. They should then be kept there until their on the spot fine was paid by their parents.

The outlet that sold the alcohol should be closed down immediately until assurances were made that this did not occur again. The retailer should show due diligence in these cases. It is they who should ensure that adults are not buying alcohol for minors, not the police. This is not rocket science, it only takes a can do attitude', however for the powers that be it will be in the hard to do box' and we will carry on having tragedies like the one that has befallen Helen Newlove and her family.

So Mr Fahy, we've listened to your consternations about alcohol sales to minors, now look Helen Newlove in the eye and tell her that at least you tried to prevent this happening again.

POLICE OFFICER Warrington