Public intoxication stings catch 2,200 in Texas bars

chron.com ^ | 3/23/06 | Anne Marie Kilday

[takenoprisoner]

More than 2,200 people have been arrested in Texas bars in the six months since the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced a crackdown on public intoxication, primarily targeting bars.

The arrests included people who were drunk in bars, who sold alcohol to a drunk person, or a drunk employee on the premises of a bar or restaurant with a license to sell alcohol, said Carolyn Beck, a spokeswoman for the TABC.

The commission has been responsible for enforcing the state's alcoholic beverage code for the past 70 years. In August, 2005, the agency announced it was beginning a crackdown on public intoxication, using both undercover and open operations.

The agency has used undercover agents before, Beck said. In a recent operation, agents infiltrated 36 bars in a Dallas suburb and arrested 30 people for public intoxication.

[RHINO369]

Haha yea they all seem to be new, but I don't get why? Is it the fact that Bush draws a religious crowd that doesn't really value personal freedom? The people who only became politically active after 9-11 and gay marriage.

I was shocked to learn how long I've been a freeper. I joined when I was 12! I think it was during the Clinton Impeachment. They say you get more Conservative as you get older, but I don't see how much more Conservative I could get.

[TKDietz]

"Bars which forbid anyone under 21 from even setting foot inside are private establishments, while bars which allow all ages to step inside (but only serve alcohol to those of legal age) are considered public."

That's not the law in Texas. I've never heard of any state where that's the law, but maybe that's the way it is in your state or your county. In my state we have both private "members only" bars, and those that are open to the public. In practice though anyone who wants to can go to most all of the private clubs. The only reason for the private clubs is that they were allowed to serve liquor on Sundays, could stay open later, and it used to be anyway around here that only private clubs could sell hard liquor. The law varies from county to county, with some counties here being "dry counties" and some of the dry counties having "private clubs" that sell booze or along people to bring their own. People under 21 aren't allowed in either private clubs that sell alcohol or bars here unless the establishment is a restaurant that just happens to serve alcohol. And private clubs in most places at least are actually still considered public places for most purposes under the law, at least that's what they claim with these anti-smoking laws in some states where they ban smoking not only at bars open to the general public but also at private clubs. I don't know that the fact one is drinking at a private club would protect him from a conviction for public intoxication. I can't believe though that the police are actually going out of their way trying to find people in bars who have had too much to drink. Some people need to lose their jobs over this. Hopefully voters in Texas will see to it that that happens.

[NittanyLion]

Huh. I just assumed he/she was beng facetious. I mean, are coffee pots illegal because people win lawsuits against McDonalds?

[Muleteam1]

>>The cops could at least wait until these guys get in their cars if it's DWI they're after; this is all about numbers and behavior modification.<<

It certainly seems that way. I'm beginning to think this sounds like a local thing where the police were having problems from certain bars. I have to doubt any chief or supervisor of police would routinely send officers into bars to arrest drunks for public intoxication. You can bet that any county in Texas that is wet has pretty good political support for the decision to be wet. I still have not heard the complete story as my grandkids turned to the Cartoon Channel just as Fox began to discuss the story. Grandma wouldn't let me turn it back. I'm trying to learn more now.

Muleteam1

[philetus]

When are they going to start arresting those whom are drunk in congress?

[Muleteam1]

I had to laugh about your comment about them coming for the Christians. I laughed not because it is not inconceivable but I suddenly imagined a bunch of those same drunks carrying flaming torches and driving up to my front door in a beatup F-100 Ford some evening. At least one can imagine that drunks would have as good a motive as any American for going after Christians. However, I digress here.

Regarding my pre-crime accusations, if there are no laws against public intoxification where these events occurred, and no other laws were broken, I will admit that you are right and I am wrong. If, however, these people were in violation of laws, then the police were solidly within their right to do what they did. If you believe that I too lightly dismiss possible crimes by Texas law enforcement officials ask me sometime to tell you the story of my great great grandfather who shot and killed a Texas Ranger (and several other law officers) in Sabine County when they sought to arrest him on purely circumstantial evidence.

Muleteam1

[hispanarepublicana]

I heard they've been using the "drunk-driving" breathalyzer measurements to qualify the "drunk in public" charge on these bar-busts.....basically raiding bars and making everyone take breathalyzers.....THAT'S facism--especially in a hotel bar; that's the whole idea of those New Years' Eve hotel packages....so you can imbibe while out on the town without having to drive home.

[garyhope]

Don't get me started. I just paid about $300 for a "speeding" ticket in a "school zone" for going 40 in a 20 on a big main road without a student in sight. I shouldn't have been on that road, I got lost looking for a store that was right off the freeway.

I did "preferred adjudication" whatever the hell that is so it doesn't go on my "record", if I didn't get anymore citations in the next 3 months.

I don't want maniacs driving all over the place, and I think most drivers are responsible, but I think most traffic laws are designed to raise money for all the parasitic, lard assed goberment "officials" who can't find real work elsewhere.

[Dashing Dasher]

Rhetorical.

[Dashing Dasher]

Read the rest.

[celestine phophesy]

Personally, I believe we should outlaw smoking.

If families can sue tobacco companies because their loved ones died while using tobacco products - and WIN - then why is it still a legal product?

That's a really good point. Of course, smokers find a study here and there and say that smoking is actually GOOD for them. Isn't that funnny? They need something that supports their habit.

[celestine phophesy]

Aren't you a sweetheart.

That sounds a bit derogatory. Care to clarify that?

[takenoprisoner]

"When are they going to start arresting those whom are drunk in congress?"

If we are now arresting drunks in bars to prevent dui's, then the least we could do is arrest ted kennedy everytime he ventures beyond the boundaries of his palace/compound.

[Muleteam1]

As I have replied to several persons here, the arrests were likely based on violations of public intoxication laws. This issue sounds like a local event where they had been having a problem with certain bars. Time will tell but this could have simply been a warning of sorts or a shot over the bow. Possibly these bars needed a 2x4 between the eyes to wake them.

Muleteam1

[celestine phophesy]

Very interesting coming from someone who, along with her compadres, supports bans on smoking in private establishments. And has a penchant for personal attacks against smokers.

Very interesting since you are supposedly Gatz' husband and you haven't posted since last summer, Gabz!!! I do support limiting smoking in public establishments, because the smell is sickening to many of us nonsmokers. Many of us realize that your obsession with smoking is just because of your addiction. Sorry, but true. No personal attack intended. So smoke on....just keep your distance. LOLOLOL!!!

[hispanarepublicana]

As I have replied to several persons here, the arrests were likely based on violations of public intoxication laws. This issue sounds like a local event where they had been having a problem with certain bars.

I wish you were right, but I'm afraid you're not. I thought it was just my city, but apparently it's a statewide problem. A friend of mine who was a bartender at a small, local bar went on duty one night around 8 p.m. She went to wait on a table of what appeared to be a perfectly sober man. He ordered a beer, and she brought it to him. BAM!!! She was cited by the TABC-gestapo for something like serving a 3rd beer in an hour to a guy who had previous DWI offenses and was on some kind of probation. How was she to know?

[takenoprisoner]

there is no defense of these actions no matter how you try to sugar coat and/or excuse them.

They say they did it to prevent drunk driving. Time is up.

[TheLion]

Do you know the actual penalties for being drunk in public.? Do they keep you over night? What are the fines, etc. Would like to know.

[TheLion]

An actual study was done in the 70's about longevity in life. National Geographic published an article about people in the world who were 100 years of age or older.

They went out looking for them and the thing they had in common.

Sorry my dear, it wasn't smoking. In fact, many at that age smoked unfiltered cigarettes.

The link between them all was 1200 calories a day of low fat natural foods.

Eating wrong will kill you quicker than cigarettes.

[fortunecookie]

First they try prevent people from drinking by going after drunk divers.

Do you think they go after drunk drivers to prevent drinking? The point is to keep them from driving when they are incapable or unwilling to see that they are. People shouldn't be driving while intoxicated. At one point, there are people having a few drinks, still capable of driving safely. At some point, some people having a few drinks crossover to the level of officially drunk. Impaired. Incapable of operating a motor vehicle safely. We've all seen them, staggering, slurred speech, arguing that they aren't, hic, drunk. And many of them drive anyway. Sometimes we can stop some of them by taking their keys, as friends, or calling a cab, and sometimes we can't. Anyone who's had and lost this battle knows what I'm talking about. And some of them kill people. Don't stop them from drinking. Do stop them from driving while intoxicated. I'm not that familiar with Texas' drunk in public law, and this raid may have been gestapo like or heavy handed, I don't know, but drunk driving kills (not 'drunk' like a drink or 2 with no impairment) and it is always preventable. Always.