Greater support services are needed for intoxicated people in the ACT

13 June 2025

The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) is urging the ACT Government to address a growing gap in how alcoholrelated incidents are handled, following the release of the ACT Ombudsman’s report on the use of force by ACT Policing.

The report highlights the challenging position police are in when dealing with intoxicated individuals, especially when there’s no aggression or criminal behaviour involved.

AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the ACT Government has not given ACT Policing the right level of welfare support services to manage these situations in the best interest of the intoxicated person.

“If someone is intoxicated but not causing harm or acting aggressively, that’s a health issue, not one for police. The ACT Government treats drug use and abuse as a health matter. Alcohol use and abuse, without violence or a crime, should be treated the same. If that person comes to police attention and police feel intervention is required, that person should be cared for by the health system, not placed inside a police cell.

“If someone becomes abusive, threatening, or poses a risk to others, police need to be involved and provided with a clear and enforceable path to respond,” Mr Caruana said.

The AFPA believes that in the ACT, police have very few options when dealing with someone who’s intoxicated but not abusive or threatening. If a support person can’t be found to care for the intoxicated person, the Sobering Up Shelter, which has limited capacity and restricted operating hours, the hospital system, or the ACT Watch House are the only current viable options.

Mr Caruana said that ACT Policing is under-resourced, and frontline General Duties or Territory Targeting Team officers don’t have the time or capacity to care for intoxicated people without placing them into protective custody within the ACT Watch House.

“The Sobering Up Shelter and its staff do a great job, but it has limited hours and sometimes can’t meet the demand.

When that occurs, and as far as I’m aware, aside from hospitals, there’s nowhere else in the ACT that police can take someone who’s intoxicated and needs support and monitoring, bar the ACT Watch House.

“The ACT Watch House is not the best place for an intoxicated person who hasn’t committed a crime, but the ACT Government has not provided any consistent solutions to this issue apart from the ACT Watch House or the hospital system.

“It’s time for the ACT Government to step up. That means investing in round-the-clock sobering-up services and giving police a clear legal framework to act when public safety is at risk.

“This is about balance. If someone is intoxicated but not causing harm, they need health support. But when behaviour turns aggressive or unsafe, there must be consequences.

“Police can’t keep being expected to deal with this alone, without the tools or support to do it properly,” Mr Caruana said.

Media Contact:
AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au

The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) is urging the ACT Government to address a growing gap in how alcoholrelated incidents are handled, following the release of the ACT Ombudsman’s report on the use of force by ACT Policing.

The report highlights the challenging position police are in when dealing with intoxicated individuals, especially when there’s no aggression or criminal behaviour involved.

AFPA President Alex Caruana said that the ACT Government has not given ACT Policing the right level of welfare support services to manage these situations in the best interest of the intoxicated person.

“If someone is intoxicated but not causing harm or acting aggressively, that’s a health issue, not one for police. The ACT Government treats drug use and abuse as a health matter. Alcohol use and abuse, without violence or a crime, should be treated the same. If that person comes to police attention and police feel intervention is required, that person should be cared for by the health system, not placed inside a police cell.

“If someone becomes abusive, threatening, or poses a risk to others, police need to be involved and provided with a clear and enforceable path to respond,” Mr Caruana said.

The AFPA believes that in the ACT, police have very few options when dealing with someone who’s intoxicated but not abusive or threatening. If a support person can’t be found to care for the intoxicated person, the Sobering Up Shelter, which has limited capacity and restricted operating hours, the hospital system, or the ACT Watch House are the only current viable options.

Mr Caruana said that ACT Policing is under-resourced, and frontline General Duties or Territory Targeting Team officers don’t have the time or capacity to care for intoxicated people without placing them into protective custody within the ACT Watch House.

“The Sobering Up Shelter and its staff do a great job, but it has limited hours and sometimes can’t meet the demand.

When that occurs, and as far as I’m aware, aside from hospitals, there’s nowhere else in the ACT that police can take someone who’s intoxicated and needs support and monitoring, bar the ACT Watch House.

“The ACT Watch House is not the best place for an intoxicated person who hasn’t committed a crime, but the ACT Government has not provided any consistent solutions to this issue apart from the ACT Watch House or the hospital system.

“It’s time for the ACT Government to step up. That means investing in round-the-clock sobering-up services and giving police a clear legal framework to act when public safety is at risk.

“This is about balance. If someone is intoxicated but not causing harm, they need health support. But when behaviour turns aggressive or unsafe, there must be consequences.

“Police can’t keep being expected to deal with this alone, without the tools or support to do it properly,” Mr Caruana said.

Media Contact:
AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager Troy Roberts – (02) 6285 1677 – troy.r@afpa.org.au

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