Port Phillip police call for power to search beachgoers, confiscate booze

If you’re planning a boozy picnic at St Kilda foreshore, think again and be prepared to have your grog confiscated.

Police could be given powers to search beachgoers and confiscate their booze under a plan to stamp out alcohol-fuelled violence in St Kilda.

It comes after several rowdy gatherings descended into violence in the past few months, including a massive party in November where flares were set off and a man allegedly punched and bit a police officer during a scuffle.

Port Phillip Inspector Helen Chugg said alcohol had been “the driver” for the recent incidents, despite a summer booze ban being in place.

While alcohol is prohibited on St Kilda foreshore from November 1 to March 31 each year, Insp Chugg said the bylaws were “inadequate” and police were “powerless” to stop people bringing alcohol on to the beach.

And staff at the Stokehouse restaurant and St Kilda Sea Baths complex told the Leader they have been forced to lock patrons inside their venues amid safety concerns as parties raged outside.

Port Phillip Inspector Helen Chugg says police are “powerless” to stop people bringing alcohol to the beach. Picture: Wayne Taylor

In a letter to Port Phillip Council, Insp Chugg said police were only able to issue warnings to beachgoers not to drink the carrying grog with them on the beach.

“This summer police witnessed large amounts of packaged liquor enter the foreshore in slabs, Eskys, backpacks and picnic baskets,” she wrote.

“Police are powerless … to stop packaged alcohol entering the St Kilda foreshore.

“(They are) only able to administer a warning to beachgoers not to consume the alcohol found in their possession.”

Insp Chugg has called for police to be given powers to “confiscate and dispose of alcohol” on the foreshore.

She said extra police had to be deployed to the St Kilda foreshore on days warmer than 26C due to the “sheer volume” of people bringing alcohol to the beach, with officers often called from the wider Southern Metro region to help.

“These increases in resourcing (to the foreshore) reduces police response capacity to other high priority areas of crime within Port Phillip, the region and the state,” she said.

Under current bylaws, police can only take action, including issuing fines of up to $200, if they see someone drinking alcohol or holding an open container of alcohol.

Under proposed changes to the bylaws, sealed alcoholic drinks would also be prohibited on the St Kilda foreshore, which includes water and Crown land, beaches, reserves, parks and car parks from Langridge St, Middle Park to Thackeray St, Elwood.

The matter is due to be decided on at a council meeting on Wednesday night.