Superintendent Andrew Holland, Commander of the Redfern PAC, said the campaign is a way to remind and encourage Redfern and Waterloo residents to come and talk to the police, or to call Crimestoppers if they have any information.
NSW Police have been re-launching the campaign across the State since the beginning of the year, with the aim of stopping the spread of illegal drugs like cannabis, MDMA, ice and heroin from being sold and causing harm both to the individual and the wider community. “Dealers” can include anyone who produces or grows an illegal substance, transports or sells it, or even just gives an illegal drug to others.
There has been widespread media attention given to the five deaths that have occurred already this year at music festivals due to drug overdoses. Over the Australia Day long weekend, 25 people in NSW were hospitalised from drug-related issues. This has re-started the debate, both in NSW and across Australia, about whether pill-testing should be available at music festivals.
The NSW government does not support pill testing, as it is seen to be giving the “green light” that taking drugs would not be harmful. Those who support pill testing disagree – instead, it provides the opportunity for people to find out if there are any dangerous additional drugs cut in the pill. Those who conduct pill testing also provide “harm minimisation” advice, by telling the user that no drug is safe, and also what to do to look after themselves if they decide to take the tested drug.
Superintendent Holland said that while any single loss of life due to drug overdoses was one too many, the attention being given to music festival deaths distracts from the far greater harm being caused in the community every day due to drug supply and use.
“You can talk to us anonymously, and the slightest amount of information can help prompt an investigation,” he said.
