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Handheld 'wand' sniffs out alcohol in Hailsahm
A HANDHELD 'wand' which can sniff out alcohol from soft drink bottles is the latest weapon in the fight against under-age drinking in Hailsham.
The portable 'Alcoblow' device is being used by police to clamp down on youngsters who try and conceal drink in more innocent-looking bottles.
If under-18s are found to be drinking alcohol, it will be confiscated and poured away, and officers will inform the youngsters' parents or carers.
Hailsham's top uniformed police officer, Chief Inspector Julia Pope, said she hoped the new device would make teenagers 'think before they drink'.
Police said they were aware youngsters would sometimes mix alcohol and put it in soft drink bottles - but now they can no longer conceal it.
Officers will use the hand-held device, which can also detect alcohol on a person's breath, in a drive to reduce underage drinking and anti-social behaviour in Hailsham and surrounding villages.
Five of the 'Alcoblow' wands have been bought for police to use in the Wealden area, thanks to cash from the Safer Wealden Partnership.
Ch Insp Pope thanked the Safer Wealden Partnership for funding the wands, which she called 'great news' for the area.
She added, "We will continue to invest resources in effective targeted enforcement. With the 'Alcoblow' wand, young people will stop and think before they drink.
"Wealden is a safe district to live, work and visit on the whole and most young people are decent, law-abiding citizens."
Hailsham MP Charles Hendry said he supported the police in their efforts to tackle youth drinking but wanted to see more emphasis placed on education.
He told the Gazette, "I welcome any technological developments which help tackle the problem of underage drinking and the new 'wand' sounds as though it can make a useful contribution.
"However, deterrence is not the sole solution to solving the problem of underage drinking.
"It is essential that we teach children from a young age about the problems of alcohol misuse and move away from a culture of binge drinking through education and guidance."
Councillor Ron Cussons, chair of the Safer Wealden Partnership, said, "We will continue to work closely with the police to use all our powers to prevent underage drinking in the district and we welcome this latest initiative.
"The partnership has a responsibility to deter and reduce this type of offending."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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