Earlier closing cuts crime rate

Shaving two hours off the closing time of Timaru's bars has more than halved inner-city violence.

They aren't saying "we told you so", but police are trumpeting the findings as a positive result of the shift from 5am closing to 3am in October 2007.

The findings by a police organisational performance group in Wellington were released yesterday. They showed that since the closing times were notched back, the number of reported fights, crimes and detox cases is down.

In the 12 months following the change of hours the number of violent offences recorded by Timaru police dropped by 8 per cent, from 402 to 369 incidents.

The number of drunken people taken into safe custody by police had also dropped, by 29 per cent.

The biggest reduction was for recorded violence near Timaru's inner-city bars during the early hours of the weekend. Those cases dropped by nearly half, from 47 offences to 23.

Mid-South Canterbury Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said the results of research into the effects of 3am closing in Timaru showed the move had worked. Before October 2007, four of the central city's 12 bars were licensed until 5am and one had a 24-hour license.

"Alcohol is the major driver of crime, disorder and violence and any steps we can take to limit [the sale of liquor] in the small hours in the community, it's got to be beneficial.

"[Initially] there was some resistance from some bar owners and there were all sorts of excuses put forward about community safety, about people spilling out of bars at the same time.

"It's turned out the community is considerably safer once the hotels are closed."

Timaru Taxis manager Arnold Garchow said the effects of 3am closing were positive and cab drivers had seen it immediately. "We have definitely noticed a drop in the bad behaviour, mainly in between that 4am and 5am mark. There is just not the same amount of drunkenness."

The report said the crime did not appear to be taking place earlier and, instead, the number of violent incidents recorded by police reduced.

Mr Gaskin said the change in hours was a tireless community effort, with police, the district council, licensing agency and public health officials all playing a part. "There is a balance [in changing hours] and we've got to get the balance right. If you close too early you've got the difficulty of people going from pubs to parties."

He said communities that did not have early closing for licensed outlets should compare the statistics to their own circumstances. "If you want to make the community safer the balance between alcohol supply and over-supply has to be addressed."

- © Fairfax NZ News