Wagga’s police were forced to call in reinforcements this weekend, with the Ag Races and the Farrer League finals making it one of the city’s busiest of the year.
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Police conducted a huge 1100 random alcohol and drug tests on Saturday with a surprisingly positive result.
Out of all the drivers tested, Detective Sergeant Phil Malligan said just three people were charged with mid-range drink-driving.
That included a 30-year-old woman, who allegedly returned a blood alcohol content reading of .081.
One person was also charged with drug driving, while eight other motorists were issued with traffic infringement notices.
To help combat the droves of punters and footy fans hitting the streets, five officers from Sydney had to be called in as reinforcements.
Together, they targeted crime, commuter safety, and anti-social behaviour on the city’s public transport.
But the main focus of the day was the 30th Wagga Ag Races, which had 7000 people pour into the Murrumbidgee Turf Club.
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Detective Sergeant Malligan said fewer than a dozen were ejected from the venue.
“There were no major incidents as most people were compliant, so police are praising those racegoers,” he said.
“Considering the size of the community events and the amount of visitors at various events – including football and the Ag Races – police are extremely pleased with the results.
“But again, we’re striving towards zero deaths on our roads and those incidents that involved charges could have led to worse outcomes.”
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