By Conor Sharkey

THE biggest crackdown on underage drinking in public ever under taken by the PSNI in Strabane will be launched tomorrow (Friday).

'Operation Snapper' will see a team of officers target several of the town's public drinking hotspots to confiscate alcohol and possibly prosecute underage drinkers.

The initiative, organised in conjunction with the local Community Safety Partnership, will run for the duration of the school summer holidays.

Announcing the clampdown, a PSNI spokesperson said: "We want to send a message to those juveniles who drink in public areas and exhibit anti-social behaviour that this will not be tolerated.

"I know, however, that the issues surrounding underage drinking are not just confined to the school holiday period.

"This is why we are also encouraging young people to look out for a series of alcohol free activities, further details of which should be in local media.

"After this operation ends, we will continue to work with the local community and schools to increase awareness of this issue and tackle the associated anti-social behaviour that it causes."

To be run in tandem with the increased police presence on Strabane's streets is a series of alternative events aimed at local young people.

Behind these events will be Strabane's Community Safety Partnership.

Head of the Strabane CSP Catherine Collins explained: "Underage drinking in public is something that we need to concentrate on.

"Over the coming months, we intend to develop a number of programmes which will hopefully help cut the number of young people drinking in public. These included working in conjunction with local taxi firms and off-licences.

Over the summer however we will be supporting a number of alternative events for young people.

"One of these will be the Sounds Like Summer bands competition in the Alley Theatre.

"Another is 'midnight football' which will run on a Friday night from 9pm to 12am. It will be for 13-18 year old and will run alongside a series of personal development courses and drugs and alcohol awareness projects.

"Hopefully with the programmes we have lined up we will start to make in roads on the under age drinking problem," Ms Collins said.

Also encouraging community support for 'Operation Snapper' is chair of Strabane DPP, councillor Thomas Kerrigan

He said: "A recently published report from the Chief Medical Officer showed that the average age young people start drinking is 11 years old and that two percent of young people drink every day. The figures are shocking, the effect that it has on the health of young people who drink is harmful and the anti-social behaviour that often arises destructive.

"This is a problem which we all have a part to play in tackling – whether that be through policing, through education, or through promoting greater social and parental responsibility.

"Strabane DPP is fully supportive of this police initiative and calls on local people to support the police. The DPP hopes that the initiative will send a clear message to young people who drink on our streets and those who may be buying alcohol for them, that it is not acceptable and won't be tolerated," he said.