1 week Ago By Katie Hawkins
I’m not a member of the Fun Police. I love seeing people squeezing the good juice out of life. My friends even tell me that I put the ‘eff’ in fun.
If someone wants to have a good time, I’m the first to say “knock yourself out”. (A figure of speech obviously. I don’t want anyone to actually knock themselves out).
I’m a huge fan of people safely enjoying themselves, making use of everything our beautiful slice of the world has to offer. At the police station, we hear, via internet chatter and local young people we know, that Omaha Beach is going to be one of the ‘in’ spots this summer, particularly for New Year celebrations. Everyone at our police station can understand why.
We’d be the first to acknowledge that Omaha is a stunning beach. Gold sand, clear water, just enough in the way of waves to keep the surfers happy, but the swimmers safe. The awesome team at Omaha Surf Lifesaving do their part, providing you’re smart enough to swim between the flags.
It’s a great rule and clever folks can see the wisdom in following it. On the subject of rules that clever folks follow, Omaha has specific rules governing the consumption of alcohol. For the duration of the daylight saving period, think ‘summer’, and between 7pm and 7am, there is a total alcohol ban in all public areas in Omaha.
This is a ban on consumption, carriage and possession. Quite simply, it’s no booze off your own property after 7pm. This year, local police numbers have been bolstered for the peak holiday season to address the issues that came up last New Year’s Eve at Omaha.
While previously a very low-key style of policing has operated round the beaches, this year the emphasis has changed. This is at the request, I might add, of the people of Omaha. The alcohol ban will be enforced with no exceptions.
That means that folk silly enough to breach alcohol bans will face hefty instant fines and/or arrest. While we do our best to keep our cells clean, looking through vertical iron bars would still be an awful way to see in 2025. I’m a mum and like all parents, I want to see my kids have a good time, but I’m also a cop and so I have a perspective that allows me to suggest something to other parents out there.
Can I suggest that it’s unrealistic to give your teen a box of Vodka Cruisers, send them out the door on New Year’s Eve and tell them to have fun with the expectation that police will be able to keep them safe? If you think your kids are mature enough to drink alcohol, then you keep them at your home where you can supervise the consequences. I’m positive all parents want the best for their kids. Maybe, just maybe, keeping them safe is a better parenting choice than allowing them to look cool to their mates.
Your kid, so your choice, but please folks, no complaints, no anger and hopefully no sadness if your teens’ boozy New Year’s Eve celebration goes wrong..
