Radio New Zealand

The police in Palmerston North will focus on finding drunk people on licensed premises in a bid to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.

An agreement has been signed by police, the city council, the fire service and the district health board, to work together to regulate and enforce the Sale of Liquor Act.

Area commander Inspector Pat Handcock says the agreement will see a more proactive approach to dealing with alcohol-related problems.

He says people who have had too much to drink often make bad decisions, which can lead them to become offenders or victims of crime.

Alcohol Advisory Council chief executive Gerard Vaughan says law changes are needed to address the availability of alcohol at cheap prices.

Mr Vaughan says having the agencies pool their efforts is a great achievement, but more needs to be done to tackle the problem of people drinking heavily.

He says society's attitudes need to change, and the availability of cheap alcohol in shops with long trading hours should be addressed at a national level.