Officials Make Public Intoxication Arrests Inside Bars

nbc5i.com ^ | March 15, 2006

[billorites]

IRVING, Texas -- The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has taken its fight against drunken driving to a new level. TABC agents, along with Irving police, targeted 36 bars and clubs Friday, arresting some allegedly intoxicated patrons before they departed the businesses.

The officers and agents also kept watch on bartenders who might have over-served patrons.

Agents arrested 30 people Friday night. Most of the suspects now face charges of public intoxication.

The agents and Irving police officers traveled from bar to bar and worked undercover, according to an NBC 5 report.

The report also said that some agents shared tables with suspected drunken patrons. Some patrons were subjected to field sobriety tests inside bars.

Agents and officers said the operation represented an effort to reduce drunken driving.

Sgt. Chris Hamilton, of the TABC, said some inebriated bar patrons "end up killing themselves or someone else" after departing the businesses.

[ClearCase_guy]

Double-plus un-good.

[LongElegantLegs]

And this is okay with everybody? No protests?

[DumpsterDiver]

Most of the suspects now face charges of public intoxication.

I guess if a bar is considered a public place when it comes to smoking, the next (il)logical step is arresting people in bars for public intoxication.

[Deguello]

"I don't want to be drunk in public. I want to be drunk in a bar"...Tatter Tot.

[TexasTransplant]

The Red Light Cameras may go away...

Revenue from Clickit or Ticket isn't enough...

Can't get "Serviced" to bust hookers...

So they go to Bars

TT

[Philistone]

I thought Irving was in a dry county?

Anyway... Consider me protesting.

Next they'll come to your home on the off chance that you might decide to run up to 7-11 to get a hot dog.

[Horatio Gates]

The officers and agents also kept watch on bartenders who might have over-served patrons.

So why didn't they stop them from over serving then? /rhetorical

[Deguello]

Oops, Tatter Salad.

[OCCASparky]

Someone please tell me this is Scrappleface.

[dighton]

Calling all cars, drunk people in bars.

[Bob J]

Were the agents buying rounds?

[beltfed308]

TABC

Sounds like typical typical parasitic alphabet soup agency

[Felis_irritable]

I was run down by a drunk, hit-and-run driver when I was 22. I have a moderate loss of function in my left lower leg. I have *ZERO* sympathy for drunk drivers.

However, having written that, I think this is overreaching. They aren't driving drunk, IMHO, until they put the key in the ignition. If TABC wants to nick them for public intox, fine.

I'd rather they follow them out to their cars and wait for them to stick the key in the ignition, though.

[blaquebyrd]

Better yet, why don't they cut out the middle Man and just have the cops serve the drinks. Jeesh what's next, breathalyzer before you order a drink? For crying out loud it's a bar and they're arresting folks for public intoxication?

[Reagan Man]

What's next. Police arresting people for getting drunk in the privacy of their own home.

[Wolfie]

Man, what's this country coming to when you can get sh*t-faced in public and hop in your car for the ride home. It's much, much better to set up a checkpoint and hassle hundreds in the hope of catching a few.

[Hank Rearden]

These "officials" need a good asskicking in the alley out back.

See my tagline.

[Mugwump]

Alcohol's the new tobacco. Then, fast food of any kind, red meat, etc, etc...

We're being socialized.

[hosepipe]

Arrested BEFORE drunk driveing?.... LoL..
WELL, they might of been THINKING of driving.. LoL..
Probably they WOULD HAVE been smoking too!!..

< snide >
HANG the scoundrels...
< / end-of-snide >