Police deny closing bars
Posted
Darling River police have denied claims they took a heavy-handed approach at and after the Louth Races near Bourke on the weekend.
Police will not confirm how many officers were involved in the operation on Saturday, but say there were marginally more officers than last year.
Callers to the ABC have raised concerns the bar closed early at the turf club and only one hotel was open in Cobar when bus-loads of racegoers returned to the town.
However, the Darling River police commander, Superintendent Michael Robinson, says police did not close any of the venues.
"The decision to close a business for an evening, whether it was at the races or whether it was in Cobar, it was a decision that was taken by the licensees at the time," he said.
"I would have some concern if there was any indication to say the only reason they closed up was because there was a police presence in the town.
"There are certain licence conditions that are attached to hotels in the way that [they] can trade and the things they can do and the simple fact is they have to comply with their licence conditions."
