A month-long policing blitz is underway in central Canberra following growing complaints from businesses. The ABC joined officers for a night on the beat to experience their efforts firsthand.
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00:00It's just past midnight in the heart of Canberra, and near-freezing temperatures aren't stopping
00:10the party. Police are also on the move, checking out a spot they call Cocaine Lane.
00:23Two men are arrested and searched.
00:26We've located cocaine on the bin that they were chopping up at the time and preparing
00:31to use.
00:32The pair is referred to a drug diversion program, and police move on with their night.
00:39More officers have been deployed across Canberra's CBD as part of the City Safe campaign. It
00:45launched earlier this month, after complaints from local businesses about a spate of anti-social
00:51behaviour.
00:52Drinking in public, youth sort of belligerence and low-level crime type activities.
00:59Kushwant Darnoah's inner-city barbershop has been repeatedly targeted, racking up thousands
01:05of dollars in damage.
01:06It is extremely frustrating and slightly demoralising for a business owner. It's not just the cost,
01:13it's the time and effort.
01:15This police operation is set to run for another three weeks. Officers have been pulled in
01:21from teams across the ACT to ensure there can be boots on the ground in the CBD 24 hours
01:28a day.
01:29Police say statistics don't show a crime spike in the city, but believe extra bodies will
01:34still help.
01:35There was a serious assault that happened in this section of the alleyway and there
01:38were a number of witnesses that moved through that we're trying to identify.
01:42Welfare is a big part of the team's remit too.
01:44I want to find your friends because you are struggling.
01:49Police escorting this man to the overnight first aid team after a night gone too far.
01:55So MDMA, alcohol, pot.
01:58People are out here to have a good time and we're here to make sure that good time doesn't
02:01turn bad.
02:02The door remains open for the City Safe campaign to be extended. Either way, these officers
02:08have more long nights ahead.