Tweetathon reports 374 booze-fuelled incidents

Devon and Cornwall Police has been tweeting details of alcohol-related incidents across the region that were reported on Friday night, between 8pm and 2am.

The tweets were posted live, as incidents were reported, by staff in the call centre at Police HQ, Middlemoor.

By 3am today police had reported 43 people in custody and 374 alcohol related incidents.

Police will be running the event again tonight (Saturday), from 8pm.

The aim of the tweetathon is to help the public understand the variety and quantity of calls received and the resources needed to deal with alcohol-related incidents.

Alongside this, tweets signposting relevant agencies for help and advice around subjects such as domestic abuse were posted.

It is hoped the exercise will also highlight problems around excessive alcohol consumption and encourage drinkers to take responsibility for themselves and help create a safer drinking culture in our region.

Throughout the evening the Twitter hashtag #alcoholharm has been used. 

Information from live calls was shared as they were received, along with information about the resources required to police these incidents.

Personal safety messages relating to domestic abuse, rape and sexual offences, and anti-social behaviour were also tweeted.

It is estimated that around 40% of all calls taken by police call handlers during the evening and night-time economy hours are to report alcohol-related incidents.

The event coincides with a national weekend of activity around alcohol run by the Association of Police Officers (ACPO).

The event will run again tonight (September 20), from 8pm @DC_Police on Twitter to #alcoholharm