Victoria Police training modules instruct officers to leave drunks who refuse help on street

Passers-by may be forced to care for vulnerable drunks on Melbourne’s streets if the person refuses to be transported to a sobering-up centre by police.

Police will be working counter to their instincts when new public drunkenness laws come into place, the force says.

A leaked instructional video for officers on how to respond under the new legislation shows police approaching a heavily intoxicated young woman on a park bench.

They offer to help her but when she refuses assistance leave to go on patrol.

A Victoria Police statement said the new laws – which ­remove the powers of arrest for drunkenness – would be a significant day-to-day change for many officers.

“Our members instinctively want to assist the community, that is why they became police officers,” the statement said.

“However, under the changes, there will be times where members will leave drunk people where they are, particularly when they are deemed not to be a safety risk to the public or they refuse ­assistance.”

Passers-by may be expected to step in and care for public drunks. Picture: David Geraghty

The statement said public drunkenness would be treated as a health issue and that police would continue to liaise with the Department of Health, the lead agency.

About half of members had completed the mandatory e-training; the rest must do so by November 7

Unions representing police and ambulance officers have previously voiced concerns about the practical implications of the scheme.

One police officer said the instructional video and potentially vulnerable situation it might expose a woman to was counter to community messaging about safety.

He said police would be blamed for doing nothing if an intoxicated person who needed help came to harm.

“We have a sworn duty of care,” one member said. “This is contrary to everything we stand for. It’s stuff like this that’sthe reason people are walking away from the job. It’s another Spring St shit sandwich for the coppers to chew on.”

Victoria Police officers are being instructed to leave intoxicated people on the street if they do not consent to being transported to a sobering-up centre. Picture: Steve Pohlner

The training module video shows officers being instructed to leave drunk people on the streets if they do not consent to being transported to a sobering-up facility.

“She doesn’t seem to want our help at this stage. She is not AV worthy. If you’re happy to just do some patrols, we’ll keep an eye on her,” an officer is seen advising another after talking to the woman on the bench.

The officer can then be seen telling the woman police will be patrolling the area.

Senior government minister Ben Carroll on Tuesday dismissed concerns that people left on the street intoxicated could be at serious risk.

He said it was “common sense” that community members would care for drunk people instead, saying “everyone has a role to play here”.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto called on the Government to delay the start day of the new policy till after Melbourne Cup.

“Delay it. But only for as long as necessary for police to prepare,” he said.