‘Sesh responsibly’ plea from police

They pointed to the consequences of getting into such a state and the impact it could have for all members of the public.

Responding to points made on their Facebook page about dealing with a drunk man Craigavon PSNI said: “A few folk had a good laugh at our ‘first call of the night post’ last night (Thursday, April 25), with some saying our drunk should have been left where he was, that we shouldn’t be hard on him and that there’s no harm done...

“A couple of points. First up: Massive excess of drink can mean a big night out, but can also be a flag for mental health issues. An escape, a coping mechanism. We knew who this guy was. Not where he currently lived, but we knew enough to know it was a day long bender rather than a mental health issue.

“The second point is what it means for YOU. We’re talking about a guy who’s so drunk he’s physically incapable of looking after himself. If we leave him and he stumbles in front of a car, then not only is he going to kill himself, but our necks are going to be on the block. Once we’re alerted to someone who’s in such a state, that’s us committed.

“The offence ‘simple drunk’ covers being in such a state, but requires a crew coming off the ground to take him to custody, do the paper work, and sit and watch him due to the risk of choking on his own vomit. That crew then can’t patrol, attend calls, or do paper work for prosecution files. That isn’t helping you.

“The second option is adding yet further burden to the NHS. When we left A&E yesterday morning, they were mid handover for 47 patients. In ONE department. Adding more to that work load simply because someone can’t handle their drink isn’t helping anyone. It certainly isn’t helping you.

“So we come to the final option, being a taxi. Find his address, take him home, and watch a fully grown man be turned into a little boy by a very irate mother. An extra half an hour out of the night, but crucially that crew back and available to YOU.

“So yes, it seems funny, but before you think that losing all ability to look after yourself is a great idea, think of the consequences. For you, for us, for the NHS, for the community as a whole. When you can’t look after yourself, someone else has to.

“Sesh responsibly.”