Anger at drunks

Christchurch Central Police Station has become a cheap motel housing people that are too drunk to look after themselves.

Last week, 59 people spent the night in cells because they were seen as a danger to themselves while 47 people were arrested for breaching the liquor ban and 47 were arrested for disorderly behaviour.

Senior Sergeant Glenn Nalder said each week police are picking people up off the footpath in the Riccarton and City Centre areas, who have no idea what's going on, and taking them back to the station.

"They sleep it off overnight in the cells. It's for their own protection. If they are too drunk it's likely they will pass out on the street, stop breathing or choke on their own vomit which could kill them. Some are disoriented and can stumble out on to the road, in front of traffic or they start picking fights with people walking past.

"If they are passed out on the street they become more vulnerable to being robbed or assaulted. We arrest more men than women but the number of women being arrested is increasing. Half of them don't even know they are being arrested until they wake up in a cell with a hangover. People need to start taking responsibility for themselves, their family and their friends," he said.

A majority were sent home with a pre-charge warning while others would be going to court with a "hangover".

"We want everybody to look after each other. We want to see a reduction in the amount of alcohol people are consuming because it is so high. People need to be mindful of the fact there are liquor bans in the area. Even if your inside a car, taxi or bus you are not allowed to be drinking. We will arrest people. We are working really hard to try and reduce the number of people breaching the liquor ban and this will be continuing right up to Christmas and through the New Year," he said.