Where are you staying tonight? - 13 May 2008
Those who enjoy watching either of our major football codes – Australian Rules football or rugby league – may have noticed in recent week the screening of a short police advertisement during the broadcasts.
The ad shows an ACT Policing caged vehicle rushing to an incident, police talking to an unidentified male outside a Canberra nightclub, escorting him to the back of the caged vehicle, and placing him inside.
The door of the caged vehicle shuts with a loud clunk, and the final prominent message reads: ‘Where are you staying tonight?’
Police are often the first to be called when issues arise as a result of alcohol-related incidents of public disorder or inappropriate behaviour. Often this poor behaviour occurs late at night or early morning in and around Canberra nightclub districts of Civic, Manuka and Kingston.
The ad encourages people to assume more responsibility for their actions; to stop and think before having that next drink.
A large proportion of those who are taken into custody for alcohol-related behavioural offences are males aged between 18 and 25, which is why the ad is targeted at these football codes.
If the message helps makes even a handful of people re-evaluate their behaviour, then it has achieved its goal.