Rotorua Police on board to support Lakeside this weekend

Rotorua Police will have additional staff working this weekend to support the second big event to take place in the city in as many weeks.

Raggamuffin last Saturday attracted more than 30,000 people, and a similar number is expected at Lakeside this weekend.

Both events are supported by major Police operations, due to the size and number of people attending, says Rotorua Area Commander, Inspector Bruce Horne.

"Lakeside is a very popular event which is accessible to every member of our community. Very few centres in New Zealand have an event like Lakeside and it is something Rotorua people can be immensely proud of. The event has evolved significantly over the past five years, as has the Police operation to support it.

"We will have an increased presence this weekend and Police will be clearly visible both at the event itself and across the city.

"Lakeside is a family event, and it is our role to ensure that people feel safe and reassured at the concert, on the roads and at home afterwards. We will have additional staff working on Saturday night to achieve this, as well as covering off routine demand for police service.

Inspector Horne says Police will have a particular focus on reducing alcohol-related harm at the event.

"There is a special liquor license at the event which has been specifically designed so that people can enjoy a drink over a picnic with friends and family.

"It does not allow for people bringing in excessive amounts of alcohol, and we will be keeping a close eye on this sort of behaviour both inside and outside the event. In addition, we will be actively policing the CBD liquor ban which is still in force beyond the boundaries of the Lakeside venue."

Inspector Horne says Police are constantly looking to refine their planning to support major events, and the 2010 Lakeside event is no exception.

"Last year one of the concerns we had was around large groups of young people drinking excessive amounts of alcohol on the fringes of the event, becoming loud, disruptive and disorderly as the evening went on.

"We will have staff deployed in these areas and we will respond quickly to breaches of the liquor ban or disruptive behaviour.

"Alcohol-related activities should be able to take place in our community with minimal risk of harm to drinkers, minors and the wider community – it is our role to ensure the safety of members of the public at this event and we will actively police alcohol issues to achieve that."

Inspector Horne says the event organisers have a significant security operation in place, and 30 Maori Wardens will also be on patrol at the event.

"This should be another fantastic event for Rotorua and we will be on hand to help achieve that."