POLICE in Stevenage are working in partnership with the borough council, SoSafe Community Safety Partnership and representatives from pubs and clubs across town over the festive period to ensure people having a night out are safe and can have fun. Chief I

POLICE in Stevenage are working in partnership with the borough council, SoSafe Community Safety Partnership and representatives from pubs and clubs across town over the festive period to ensure people having a night out are safe and can have fun.

Chief Inspector Richard Liversidge said: "Stevenage has a vibrant nightlife and we want people to enjoy their night out, but we would ask people consider their safety and help keep drunken-related incidents low."

The police say they will be working hard over the festive period with increased high visibility operations which will include the use of a knife arch and passive drugs dogs. So Safe has provided funding for a number of projects, including thousands of drink stoppers, designed to prevent the spiking of drinks. These can be placed in drink bottles and leave just enough room for a straw and will be distributed around pubs and clubs.

Insp Liversidge added: "We appreciate people will be having a few drinks but we would ask them to consider some personal safety advice, such as planning ahead about how you are getting home.

I would also like to ask everyone to consider the consequences of their actions over the holidays, such as drunken anti-social behaviour or the use of drugs. We will continue working closely with licensed premises to target those breaking the law.

"These offences will result in arrest and possibly a criminal record, which could have far reaching effects long after Christmas. In some cases people who have taken drugs recreationally on a night out have ended up with a criminal record and lost their jobs.