More work needs to be done to challenge New Zealand's drinking culture judging by the provisional figures from Friday night's Operation Unite alcohol harm reduction campaign.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Win Van der Velde, Specialist Operations, Police National Headquarters, said the combined New Zealand and Australia police jurisdictions Operation Unite has reinforced the message that police, partner agencies and the public need to work together to reduce alcohol related harm on both sides of the Tasman.
The 12-hour operation which ran from 6pm on Friday to 6am Saturday morning, recorded some mixed results. Police were pleased that less than one percent of the 31,777 drivers stopped and tested for alcohol were over the limit.
"We're disappointed however that around 200 people still chose to drink and drive despite extensive publicity and the dangers around it," Mr Van der Velde said. > > > .
