Hi Micha et el (and Bcc) Trev is right, also for Woodstock, only the DPO (Desigtnated Police Officer) dealing with liquor (& guns) licence matters gets trained by the Liquor Department. The shift members hardly wants to deal with liquor problems/complaints as they say it's the DPO's job, they wer not trained and don't know the establishment's liquor conditions. I say, the Liquor Board entrusted the SAPS to be the community law liquor enforcer, not only when the DPO does his daytime job or his occasional night/day operations, but the shifts MUST be his right arm to enforce the law at night when he is not around, and in approx 90% of complaints that I have reported to 1011 I maintain and am of mind that most times, are not dealt with properly, or at all, by SAPS shift members.
At the last Woodstock Precinct liquor public meeting it was stressed that *even the owner, manager or staff* may not consume alcohol on the premises after 2 am on the register liquor licence premises, which is your trading time limit. This stipulation was conveyed to the ex Woodstock Liquor Forum by SAPS WC Provincial Liquor Enforcement Head. I feel for your establishment, as a fairly well controlled establishment, but that someone was consuming alcohol 1 hour 30 minutes after the time limit was the issue, but that you were hit and not one's of the *more* regular every time lodged complaints to SAPS, was an off chance and hope not to be repeated incident. *Is SAPS ( or Metro) getting the 2 year stint of liquor mayhem,* the past 2 am illegal trading hours and noise generated by errant liquor establishments, the anything goes of urinating where you like, the strewn bottles or broken ones, the loud mouth disturbing patron down the Observatory roads, the SAPS not able to distinguish who is the patron from the roaming criminal or drug peddle or drug seeker, this going on for extended illegal trading between 2 am and up to 7 am in the mornings, one Friday night last year I captured 60 plus photos of sites urinated at or vomited into pavement flower pots as in front of Stones/Scrumpy Jacks and around - and approx 40 plus photos of bottles strewn in the Obs CBD area by establishments allowing their patrons to exit with liquor in hand, some liquor establishments taking the patrons in after 2 am which others have expelled, while our general level of crime is HIGH in Observatory, *right?* Yes and No! - No because, to date some of the bad establishment were closed, not by SAPS or the City, but for other reasons. - Yes, because nowadays, some Woodstock SAPS shifts operates well, they come and sort the lethargic closers out by instructing them to empty shop and shut down at around 2 am or so, and sometimes even issue fines. - No, because after a 'million complaints' SAPS sometime asked, begged, shouted or instructed the place to shut over the past two years, sadly SAPS not bothering to just issue the errant ones fines time after time as they are allowed to do, without asking questions or blinking an eye. Then the perps will come right, that's unless the Magistrate throws out the case for a plethora of reasons. - Yes/no, because only a senior SAPS officer Warrant Officer and above can issue fines or warrant an arrest. - SAPS maintains that while they write a liquor fine they cannot do visible policing else where in Obs due to shortage of personnel/vehicles. - In your case, if the senior SAPS member cannot come to your site for some reason to issue the fine, they bring the errant manager/owner or a patron to the Station for the fine, or a lock up, to be done. - No, because closure of straddler illegal traders are not done sharp enough by SAPS who are hoodwinked by the establishments by closing of their doors, down their music, switch off lights, draw curtains, but continue selling or drinking of alcohol inside till whenever the patron/s had had enough, with a smiling manager or owner is looking on as money is rendered, often conveyed that a service was delivered to the community. - Yes, because the streets, after 2 am, are much-much better than before. - No, it is not good enough yet, while one or two establishments continue their trade while others have become or are law abiding. While I or other, none so holy users of alcohol or abstainers, have to concentrate on the abuse of some liquor establishments sticking our necks out in a potentially dangerous arena of drugs and liquor, we as ONW volunteers or other local institutions and SAPS, are withheld from concentrating on other forms of crime which hassles all of us in Observatory by day or night. Micha, I agree, your actual situation seem not be handled too well by the SAPS members, but SAPS have a tough job and often made worse by argument or squabble which may lead to being strong armed, often two sided events, but best not to give reason for a complaint to be lodged to 10111 or for SAPS to apply the SAPS thing, and glad that you understand, thanks. I hope my comments above are of some insight, not only to you but to all who sleep well at night, or not too well due to the noise or abuse some residents had to suffer or sell up their property due to their locality to the errant liquor establishments, and due to the long struggle against poor liquor traders. These are my views, I am willing to be hung for it or to be picked on by the uninformed or aloof, and ask pardon should I be of the wrong opinion or insight. I am very supportive of Woodstock SAPS (and Metro) but will continue the fight against SAPS in the absence of good SAPS ( and Metro) support re poor licence practices. Take care *James Cowley* *082 926 1220* *021 448 2824 (t&f)* Observatory Neighborhood Watch: Chairman -- OPS [Obsid Public Safety] - 24/7 control room ---------------------------------------------- 021-447-1066 072-063-1653 For all emergencies please dial 10111 ---------------------------------------------- ONW: 082 081 0142, ONW email: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups The Observatory Neighbourhood watch group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/obsnw?hl=en
