With the Euros 2024 upon us, Lincolnshire Police ready to support fans in enjoying the tournament and keep the county safe for all.
From 14 June to 14 July, they have plans in place, including additional patrols, to reduce the risk of football associated crime and disorder.
Superintendent Pat Coates said: “We expect pubs and bars will be busier than usual as people meet up to watch the games. What we are asking is that everyone take responsibility for your alcohol intake and your actions. Don’t spoil this for yourself or others. Expect firm, fair and friendly policing. We are not out to spoil your fun, but we will arrest you if needs be.”
“We hope that the tournament will be a cause for celebration, enjoyed in safety. Working with pubs and local authorities, we aim to keep it that way.”
Alongside keeping the tournament free from disorder, police will also be working to keep our roads safe with zero tolerance for drivers above the legal limit for alcohol and drugs. We will be joining the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) to spell this message out.
Simon Outen-Coe, Communications Manager of the LRSP said, “Don’t spoil your enjoyment of the beautiful game and score an own goal by losing your license and potentially your livelihood by driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs. If you have indulged, then please spare somebody some heartache by arriving home safely without driving. Equally don’t risk your own life by getting into a vehicle being driven by someone under the influence – and be brave – challenge them to prevent them driving too. The reality is that drink or drugs impairs your ability to drive and react in a timely manner and makes you a danger to other road users. So give drink or drug driving the red card.”
Having analysed figures over the last five years for arrests for drink/drug drive and failing to comply with providing a specimen, finding that they are significantly higher for the period directly before and after a key England game, with the numbers near doubling during the last World Cup.
Police compared the time periods from two hours prior to a World Cup or Euros match, to 12pm the next day, with the same timeframe on the same day of the week over five years. During the Euros held in 2021, the match day period arrests stood at 41 compared to the average of 25.25 for the years 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. This is a 63% increase in arrest numbers.
For the World Cup in 2022, 31 arrests were made in the match day periods. With a 97% increase, this is nearly double the 15.75 average for the same timeframe in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023. It’s probable that both intensified policing, and an increase in the number of offenders, contribute towards this increase.
Throughout the Euros 2024, we will be warning people of the consequences of driving with alcohol or drugs in their system. We will spell out the penalties if you are caught during our intensive period of enforcement across the county during the tournament.
Officers will be carrying out extra patrols with checkpoints at key locations for drink and drug testing. Supt Coates said, “Keeping the county safe clearly needs to extend to our roads. Don’t get behind the wheel if you are impaired through alcohol or drugs, either on the night or the following morning if you could still be over the limit. Have plans in place to get home safely or we will be making other arrangements for you that involve a visit to one of our stations.”
“The risk you take is a potentially deadly one which, on behalf of all our road users, we will not tolerate. The consequences include a fine, a driving ban, and a criminal conviction.”
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