Bar Sweep Sparks Controversy (Drunk People Arrested in Bars!!)

NBC5i.com ^ | March 23, 2006

[Daytyn71]

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission sent a message to bar patrons last week.

TABC agents and Irving police swept through 36 Irving bars and arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. Agency representatives say the move came as a proactive measure to curtail drunken driving.

North Texans interviewed by NBC 5, however, worried that the sweep went too far.

At one location, for example, agents and police arrested patrons of a hotel bar. Some of the suspects said they were registered at the hotel and had no intention of driving. Arresting authorities said the patrons were a danger to themselves and others.

"Going to a bar is not an opportunity to go get drunk," TABC Capt. David Alexander said. "It's to have a good time but not to get drunk."

Dallas comedian Steve Harvey agreed with the Texas residents who said the arrests infringed on individual rights.

"If a guy's got a designated driver, go ahead and let him get toasted," Harvey told NBC 5.

Texas law states that inebriated individuals could be subjected to arrest anywhere for public intoxication. Harvey and other North Texans called the measure extreme.

"That seems to be an extreme case," one man said. "You are self-contained, in the hotel, you're not going in the streets, it seems a little ridiculous."

TABC officials said the sweep concerned saving lives, not individual rights. Harvey and others interviewed by NBC 5 said they believe drunken driving to be unacceptable, although Harvey wanted to confirm that the United States remains a free country.

"Freedom of drinking should always be allowed, and it is only American to let a guy get drunk where he wants to get drunk," Harvey said.

[nuconvert]

None of them are drunk. They're just having a good time. ;~ )

[Ironfocus]

I'm not as think as you drunk I am.

[Mogengator]

I said nothing when they came for the drunks because I didn't drink.

I said nothing when they came for the smokers because I didn't smoke.

But then they came for the fatasses. By then it was too late to say anything.

[D.P.Roberts]

Same problem here. We have a college in town, so the police department gets a larger budget and more personnel. But the college is a seminary and the kids are well behaved so all the cops have to do is sit on speed traps.

[Bigs from Michigan]

Wrong again!!!

You have no right what so ever to be plastered/drunk in public. Not in a moving car, behind the wheel, walking in the park, or down the street on your anchored boat, sitting on a bench, or any other location; period.

What you do in your own home booze wise is up to you if you are an adult.

In truth, your attitude is one of the reasons that there are 10s of thousands of people killed by boozed up drivers in this country every year.

[D.P.Roberts]

Oh, man, that rules!

[Niteranger68]

They are banking that most will plead guilty because I can't imagine this holding up in court. Where's the probable cause? Who was the complainant? Where are the victims? This is obviously a crackdown on bars that haven't paid for police "protection".

[D.P.Roberts]

Biggie, Biggie, Biggie. Calm down, man. Have a drink.

[RHINO369]

Everyone is supposed to respect police officers because they are supposedly protecting the public but 9/10 I've met are pr%#ks, and there only job is to bust speeders and bother teenagers. Some citizens should watch this guy 24/7 til he gets drunk, then citizens arrest his ass for being drunk in public and try to get his badge.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I'm glad the Munich police did not have the same opinion when I attended Oktoberfest some years ago. This is PC and MADD gone too far.

[B4Ranch]

I was thinking along the same line. Tyler cops had best make damn sure they stay sober in public.

[Yossarian]

Bigs - that's a mighty nice brown shirt you're wearing there! How can I get me one?

[B4Ranch]

Irving not Tyler

[grapeape]

The people of Texas must unite and sue the government. There have been a lot of innocent people Harassed, taken to jail and had their lives changed because of this travesty of Law enforcement.

There are people in this world who can not have these citations an their record. These people can get fired and not get jobs in their chosen profession when they get railroaded in these bureaucratic schemes. Bar and restaurant employees, lawyers, professional drivers of any kind, doctors and the list goes on. This is not a laughing matter.

It is not our fault that some bureaucrats want to roll TABC into the ATF. Why should we have to pay the price for that and we are.

If the Democrats get a hold of this issue and use it during the mid terms they will make huge (not hugh) gains in the election. IF they can do something about this then maybe they should get the victory.

[downtoliberalism]

(Drunk People Arrested in Bars!!)


Here they go profiling again.

[Old Professer]

Personally, I think being stupid in public ought to be a felony.

[dennisw]

I'll bet you can find lots of cops drunk in public at the local cop watering hole on any given night. Safe to say there won't be any arrests made there, I'll bet.

They won't get cited for DUI when caught driving too.

[petercooper]

[RSmithOpt]

"Yes Sir, our honor." We arrested the accussed under state penal code #$%$#45^8!... for IWD. - Intoxicated While Drinking."

Never mind that according to government officials that there's not enough jail space or court space to arrest, detain, prosecute, convict and deport illegals who are outright guilty of a felony.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

WTF are you going on about?

This article should be in the Onion, and you're outraged that we laugh at these feckless dogooders?