Beer goggles show youngsters the dangers of alcohol

Derbyshire Constabulary has been working with youth workers to show youngsters the effect alcohol can have on coordination and personal safety as part of a police operation to tackle nuisance behaviour.

Officers from the Bolsover safer neighbourhood team joined Derbyshire County Council district youth workers to stage a ‘Beer Goggles’ event at a local youth club as part of Operation Relentless – which is designed to tackle anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime.

Youngsters were asked to complete a course that included filling a glass with water, following a line on the floor, putting on a coat, sending a text message to their mum, writing their name and address on a board and finally picking up some keys from floor and unlocking a door.

Police community support officer (PCSO) Ben Perry, from the Bolsover safer neighbourhood team, said: “We wanted to make alcohol awareness fun for the youngsters and the beer goggles are a great way of doing that. We can get a serious message across through a light-hearted method.”

The tasks took around one minute to complete when ‘sober’ but when the youngsters were wearing the beer goggles, which simulate the effect that drinking five pints of beer has on your coordination, it took an average of six minutes – with some unable to complete the course.

Operation Relentless is a six-week long countywide partnership campaign designed to improve communities, make people feel safer and increase confidence in local services.

Each week has its own special theme, where activities are organised to tackle issues associated with anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related incidents.

“It also breaks down barriers and allows us to talk to them about the dangers of drinking alcohol, including how it makes you more vulnerable, the health risks, the law and how to support a friend who is drunk,” added PCSO Perry.