Its one thing to arrest drunks as the walk to their cars with keys in their hands but its totally different cops storm into a bar and just nab drunk people. I mean if they did this in state college, Pa they'd run out of room in the jails within an hour.
Another reason I stay on this side of the Potomac. I hate Northern Virginia. In fact, I hate the rest of the state too.
Geez, I just had a few beers last night in a bar in NOVA... usually I don't go outside of the District... who knew I was taking such a risk!
Sooper Troopers I had to hire a lawyer a few times (to defend me in personal cases) in my life and I always look back and wonder just how bad they did for me. Key point here is questioning the law. There are too many *************** lawyers who want to settle cases and don't want to question the law. Drunk driving has a specific limit, but "public" drunkedness does not in that county. Besides, if they caught people walking to their cars, how can they prove intent to drive? They could be starting the car to warm it up, getting their wallet to pay the bill or at least you could consider they were getting that extra pack of smokes and had intent to come back to the bar. I would make my place a private club and charge one dollar to get a daily membership. Then if problems occur, you can always invite the police to come. Besides, why didn't they arrest the bartender, too?
Re: Sooper Troopers I know that at least in Virginia (as in other states I'd hazard a guess), if you're over the legal limit and the key's in the ignition, you can be charged with drunk driving, even if the car's engine remains off. Happened to my current roommate when he was in college. He managed to get it down to *only* reckless driving, even though he wasn't even driving at the time, just listening to the radio.
Something just doesn't seem right in that article. There must be more to the story than we're getting. If not, it's downright stupid. Public drunkeness is a behavior, not a rating on a blood alcohol scale. Somebody can be punch drunk at 0.20 and just be sitting on a stool face down with their head in their hands. Another person, at 0.07 could be acting like a drunken fool. There's no way this police action can withstand the scrutiny in a courtroom. There is no crime committed by these patrons.