Searching out drunks in a bar???? Rediculous!!!

[FullStride]

This is rediculous. These people are nuts. What is up with this?
Any thoughts? I think it's TOTALLY wrong. Any thoughts?

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) - Texas has begun sending undercover agents into bars to arrest drinkers for being drunk, a spokeswoman for the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission said on Wednesday.


The first sting operation was conducted recently in a Dallas suburb where agents infiltrated 36 bars and arrested 30 people for public intoxication, said the commission's Carolyn Beck.

Being in a bar does not exempt one from the state laws against public drunkeness, Beck said.

The goal, she said, was to detain drunks before they leave a bar and go do something dangerous like drive a car.

"We feel that the only way we're going to get at the drunk driving problem and the problem of people hurting each other while drunk is by crackdowns like this," she said.

"There are a lot of dangerous and stupid things people do when they're intoxicated, other than get behind the wheel of a car," Beck said. "People walk out into traffic and get run over, people jump off of balconies trying to reach a swimming pool and miss."

She said the sting operations would continue throughout the state.

 

[minniecarousel]

Why not just hang out outside a bar, watching for people to get into cars? I dunno, if you can't get drunk in a bar?.... Maybe they have a designated driver - maybe it was their turn to get stinkin' drunk.....it seems like their police force has too much time on their hands.

 

[FullStride]

Why not just hang out outside a bar, watching for people to get into cars? I dunno, if you can't get drunk in a bar?.... Maybe they have a designated driver - maybe it was their turn to get stinkin' drunk.....it seems like their police force has too much time on their hands.

I agree with you. It's BS in my opinion. They should be hunting down criminals not harassing innocent people in a bar having a good time. What are they doing counting peoples drinks? What a joke!!!!!
If somebody is drunk and disorderly in a bar then the bar manager should handle it and toss the person out. If a person is totally out of hand THEN the police should be involved. What a bunch of crap!

 

[CookieGVB]

I thought cops waiting outside a bar for drunk drivers was entrapment - how is this any different??

Imagine that - people drinking... in a BAR!!! *gasp*

Saw this on CNN and could only shake my head.

I'm not a drinker, but this was just too much.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Is Texas still part of the USA?? That is completely outrageous.

 

[poohandwendy]

Wow, that is ridiculous. As far as public intoxication laws, I totally disagree with them unless the person is causing trouble/disturbance. But if someone is sitting in a bar, drunk, not bothering anyone, there is no reason to arrest them.

They should not be going tot he extreme with one law to prevent another crime (that may or may not happen) from occurring. JMHO.

 

[POB14]

I thought cops waiting outside a bar for drunk drivers was entrapment - how is this any different??

That's not anything close to entrapment.

The first sting operation was conducted recently in a Dallas suburb where agents infiltrated 36 bars and arrested 30 people for public intoxication, said the commission's Carolyn Beck

They have a law against public intoxication. And they are enforcing it. If you don't like that, make sure your legislators know you don't want a law against public intoxication on the books in your state.

Minniecarousel, do you really think it's better to allow drunks to get into cars and run somebody down before they get arrested?

Personally, I do think it would be better to just offer those drunks a ride home. But I don't really get the outrage at the police enforcing a law that's on the books.

 

[poohandwendy]

Personally, I do think it would be better to just offer those drunks a ride home. But I don't really get the outrage at the police enforcing a law that's on the books.

I agree with the first sentence. IMO, the police are using the law to the extreme...and FWIW, I do oppose public drunkeness laws. I think they should be replaced by disturbance/disorderly conduct laws.

I am all for getting drunk drivers off the road. Arresting people who are not disturbing anyone and that may have no intention of driving is wrong, IMHO.

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

That's not anything close to entrapment.


They have a law against public intoxication. And they are enforcing it. If you don't like that, make sure your legislators know you don't want a law against public intoxication on the books in your state.

Minniecarousel, do you really think it's better to allow drunks to get into cars and run somebody down before they get arrested?
Personally, I do think it would be better to just offer those drunks a ride home. But I don't really get the outrage at the police enforcing a law that's on the books.

I don't think anyone here implied that the drunks should be allowed to drive. But walking into a bar and arresting people for drinking is stupid. I've been to bars in my younger days and have been ripped. Not my proudest moment, but I didn't do anything to harm me or anyone else unless feeling like crap the next day counts. There are a lot of responsible drinkers who have DD and do not drink and drive. It seems like a farce for the PD to conducting a sting operation for this. But we're all entitled to our own opinions.

 

[Rajah]

Is there more to this story? How drunk were the drunks who were arrested? I'd need to hear more before making a call on it.

I'm all for getting those who are knock-down drag-out drunk off the streets and in jail before they hurt someone.

Those who are in an outrage about this: do we know that the police didn't ask them first if there was a DD available? How were they behaving in the bar? Maybe they were getting loud and obnoxious.

I just have a hard time seeing the police going to 36 bars and only finding 30 people who were drunk all night. But I *do* see them going to 36 bars and finding 30 people who would have been a danger to others and who had no alternative ride home.

 

[poohandwendy]

Just wanted to comment on the original article:

The goal, she said, was to detain drunks before they leave a bar and go do something dangerous like drive a car.

"We feel that the only way we're going to get at the drunk driving problem and the problem of people hurting each other while drunk is by crackdowns like this," she said.

"There are a lot of dangerous and stupid things people do when they're intoxicated, other than get behind the wheel of a car," Beck said. "People walk out into traffic and get run over, people jump off of balconies trying to reach a swimming pool and miss."

Sounds like taking the law to the extreme because of an anti drinking agenda, IMO. Why not just outlaw alcohol in Texas if you want to make sure people do not do stupi things while drunk? I mean, how on earth can you tell which drunk will jump off a balcony?

 

[jodifla]

Just wanted to comment on the original article:

Sounds like taking the law to the extreme because of an anti drinking agenda, IMO. Why not just outlaw alcohol in Texas if you want to make sure people do not do stupi things while drunk? I mean, how on earth can you tell which drunk will jump off a balcony?

Yes, Texas is turning into a police state with a lot of its laws these days....I can't imagine all the bar owners and liquor lobby are very happy about this.

I'd like to see more details, too...what's public drunkenness entail? Being over .08? That's like two drinks for many people.

Carrie Nation lives!

 

[poohandwendy]

Is there more to this story? How drunk were the drunks who were arrested? I'd need to hear more before making a call on it.

I'm all for getting those who are knock-down drag-out drunk off the streets and in jail before they hurt someone.

Those who are in an outrage about this: do we know that the police didn't ask them first if there was a DD available? How were they behaving in the bar? Maybe they were getting loud and obnoxious.

I just have a hard time seeing the police going to 36 bars and only finding 30 people who were drunk all night. But I *do* see them going to 36 bars and finding 30 people who would have been a danger to others and who had no alternative ride home.

I am against public drunkeness laws because it is too big brother IMO. Unless someone is causing a disturbance, and they have laws for that, it is wrong to assume they will get behind the wheel. I just think this is arrest before the crime. They admit the purpose here is to prevent what 'could' happen. I think that is wrong. If the article stated, "We are going in to bars to arrest people who are publicly intoxicated because that is the law, others are complaining about seeing drunk people in bars and we are upholding it." That would be one thing...but that is not the intent.

So, where does that end? I just do not agree with arresting somene because they 'might' commit a crime in the future. And I do not think being intoxicated in a public place, in and of itself, should be a crime.

 

[LisaR]

This sounds like a great idea. After they are done with that, they should start going into people's homes and arresting anyone that has kitchen knives. Afterall, some people are stabbed to death. We don't want to take any chances. They apparently have too much time on their hands.

Lisa

 

[Cantw8]

I have an idea....why don't we start drinking at the scene of a crime? The cops will never find us there

 

[Poohgirl]

Here it is... State of Texas.... Public Intoxication (PI) : Appearing in a public place while intoxicated so much that the person may endanger him/herself or another person. Class C Misdemeanor.
Goodness every college campus town in Texas must have a full jail Thur, Fri, & Sat nights... think of all that revenue to be made

 

[poohandwendy]

I have an idea....why don't we start drinking at the scene of a crime? The cops will never find us there

so true.

 

[jennyl772003]

Wow.

This sounds like a terrific idea. Let's scare the drunks out of the bars and get them on the streets!

If the drinkers in the bar are being problematic, the bar workers always had the ability to call the police. I don't think it's necessary for the police to just arbitrarily start arresting people in bars.

 

[ashjohnson80]

Is Texas the only state that has laws like this? Is there a website or something that you could see if your state has a law like this? I'm getting worried.

 

[POB14]

As indicated above, the law only applies to people who are SO drunk that they are a danger to themselves or others. The offense carries a fine only, of up to $500, no jail time; but the person may be arrested and have to bail out.

So, are you all suggesting that if the police see somebody with a gun threatening to kill somebody, they should just wait until he actually pulls the trigger? After all, they just "might" commit a crime in the future.

Don't we want the police to prevent crime?