New Zealand Police reminds those attending Rhythm and Vines this New Year to take care of themselves and their friends, be sensible, and make sure everyone gets home safely.
Always have a plan on how to get to and from an event safely. Have a plan b and keep an eye on your alcohol consumption, always eat something substantial if you are planning to drink and encourage your friends to do the same.
Watch your drinks and don't accept drinks you haven't seen poured, the last thing you want is somebody tampering with your drink.
We all have a responsibility to ensure our friends and whānau are safe this summer, so keep an eye out and report any concerns you have.
Having your valuables stolen can ruin your celebrations. If you are taking a car to the festival, make sure all valuables are kept out of sight, all doors are locked, and the windows are up. Keep your phone, keys and wallet in a safe place that is unlikely to easily fall out of a pocket.
Police are supporting the event organisers to ensure it is a safe event. There will be security and Police at the venue.
If you feel unsafe or have concerns about dangerous, illegal or suspicious behaviour, call Police on 111, for non-urgent concerns you can call 105 or visit https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 and report the incident online.
During New Year we often see a peak in people driving on the roads, so be patient, keep calm, drive sober and if you are feeling tired - pull over.
All drivers can expect to be breath-tested daily throughout the event.
More advice on keeping safe can be found here: https://www.police.govt.nz/advice/personal-community/keeping-safe.
Any time, every day, we are here to help - Ao te pō, pō te ao, kei konei mātou hei āwhina.
