Posted on 04/10/2006 11:00:12 AM PDT by texas_mrs
Many North Texans are complaining about a controversial program during in which state officials arrest people inside bars in order to crack down on public intoxication.
The program began years ago, but during the most recent legislative session, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission asked for and received more money to ramp up the operation.
As a result, the TABC hired 100 agents to travel from bar to bar looking for drunk people who could pose a danger in an agent's opinion.
TABC officials said the program is proactive policing to cut back on drunken driving, but those arrested said it is unfair to arrest someone inside of a bar.
In the wake of the arrests, NBC 5 has received several calls and e-mails complaining about the program.
One bar owner, who asked NBC 5 not to use his name for fear of retaliation by the TABC, said those arrested were not causing a disturbance.
"I can understand if we had somebody laying in a booth and they were basically passed out and drunk, I could understand for them to go in with the flashlights and take them out of the booth and arrest them, but these people were standing and doing fine," he said.
TABC officials said they have no plans to change the program.
It amounts to over a million dollars in potential fines as well.
There were camera crews outside of the Dallas bar bust just like they news crews outside of the Waco compound when the ATF was looking to justify their budget.
Follow the money. They are more likely to get fines (and further funding) with this type of sting.
It's an outgrowth of the concept that the government should control what adults consume in the privacy of their own home.
Exactly. You might win it in a fight, but pay far less by caving and paying the fine.
This is scary. How the hell can they come onto your property and arrest you for drinking???
You know, this is what the left is afraid of when they fear the Patriot Act. And, believe it or not, sometimes I can't blame them. It has been my experience by having police in the family and as friends that when cops get too much power, they abuse it. I bet you no police officers were arrested or these guys didn't go into known cop bar hang outs.
This is a disgrace.
What's worse, in Texas the law against public intoxication does not require a sobriety test of any kind, no breathalyzer, no blood test. It's all based on the subjective opinion of the arresting officer.
In the cases where the TV camera's were watching, field sobriety tests were given and a few people were let go after onviously passing the test. But most of these raids have occured in small towns without camera's watching. Many of those arrested claim they weren't even given a filed sobriety test.
Welcome to the USA - formerly the land of the free!
Sounds like an agency in desperate need of a funding cut. I remember cringing when Clinton vowed to put 100,000 LEOs on the highways, because I knew they would mostly be handing out tickets. The roads are just crawling with cops since 1998 or so. At least in Indiana, that's how it's been. You can't drive to the mailbox without getting zapped by a radar.
This is an obvious abuse of the spirit of the law.
Here in the People's Republic of New Jersey, they have a law where you cannot be within 500 or 1000 feet of a park with drugs or you get mandatory jail time (I believe it is 3 years). Understandable, right? Don't want these scumbags to sell to kids.
Well, a few years ago this 20 year old guy was driving his car along a 2 lane highway and was pulled over for a minor traffic violation. He is sober and fine, but the cop noticed a small bag of pot. Suddenly, the 20 year old was arrested and the cop applied that law because there was an old railroad right-of-way turned into a bike trail that came within 500 feet of portions of the highway. What the hell was that for??? So now this stoner gets to go to state-pound-you-in-the-ass prison to learn how to become a real hardened criminal. Misapplication of the spirit of the law? I think so.
In most states the liquor agency sets rules and issues (and revokes) permits, leaving enforcement up to the local police.
-Eric
In some areas of Texas (especially North) there are dry counties. You can still privately drink (or drink at a bar/restaurant if you purchase a "club" membership).
Don't know if that may be a factor.
In Boston, a woman was arrested for public intoxication riding home in the back of a taxi that was stopped for some traffic infraction.
No revenue in that. Plus, controlling the citizens is somehow more fun than controlling the aliens.
Cops need war stories. The more, the better. It's all their intellect can muster, apparently. No arrests -- no war stories. Nothing to talk about amongst themselves. No way to look exceedingly cool to the women who thrive on them. It's their life.
The quiet drunk who stares in his beer may be downing more than those in a group.
They can't find and arrest a 1/2 million illegal aliens marching in downtown Dallas, but they can go out and arrest citizens downing a few beers at the local bar trying to forget that their government is impotent to deal with massive public law breaking? Makes you want to go get drunk. /sarcasm
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