| Using Sting Operations to Reduce Drunk Driving | | | | operations consisting of arresting drinkers while they're |
| In our haste to crack down even harder on drunken | | | | still in the bars are too excessive. To better |
| drivers, we sometimes go overboard and venture into | | | | understand my point, let's create a very possible |
| the ridiculous. A case in point concerns the Texas | | | | scenario. My buddy and I go to a Texas bar and my |
| Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). Employing | | | | buddy decides to get drunk as a skunk. This decision, |
| "sting operations" at bars throughout the state, TABC | | | | from a drunk driving perspective, is OK with me due to |
| officers have been arresting drinkers who have had | | | | the fact that I agreed to be the "designated driver" |
| too many drinks. The rationale for these special tactics | | | | who will drive my friend home after our night is over. |
| is that these sting operations will cut down on drunk | | | | Under these circumstances, I don't think that the TABC |
| driving. This is a fine rationale, but there's one big | | | | officers have any right to arrest my buddy for |
| problem with these special operations: the TABC | | | | excessive drinking. |
| officers are arresting drinkers while they're still in the | | | | An Issue of Mixed Messages |
| bars! | | | | Regrettably, the TABC sting operations illustrate the |
| Affecting the Bottom-Line: Revenue Generation | | | | mixed messages that exist in our society about |
| Interestingly, some of the main criticisms of the tactics | | | | drinking alcohol. Simply put, how can something as |
| employed by TABC have been coming from tourism | | | | accessible, available, and acceptable in our society be |
| officials who believe that these sting operations might | | | | so harmful AND illegal when consumed at or slightly |
| hurt the tourism industry by tarnishing Texas' | | | | above moderate intake levels? |
| "hard-drinking image." In other words, if a number of | | | | Stated differently, alcohol is so prevalent in our culture |
| people who usually visit Texas to do some | | | | that it has become intimately ingrained in the fabric of |
| "hard-drinking" believe that they might get arrested in | | | | our society. Due, however, to the thousands and |
| one of the TABC sting operations, many would-be | | | | thousands of people in our country who experience |
| tourists may decide against visiting Texas. Obviously, | | | | serious alcohol-related health problems or who die or |
| this could give Texas a "bad reputation" that would | | | | get injured in alcohol-related traffic accidents every |
| adversely affect the revenue that has been historically | | | | year, many members of the medical community, the |
| generated by the tourists. | | | | law enforcement community, and organizations such |
| Intrusive and Illogical Countermeasures | | | | as MADD and Alcoholics Anonymous actively and |
| I agree that arresting drinkers while they are still in the | | | | strongly denounce "excessive" drinking and in some |
| bars is "over the edge" but not because of the | | | | instances advocate total abstinence. |
| complaints from the tourism officials or because these | | | | Conclusion |
| sting operations are giving Texas a "bad reputation." | | | | Unfortunately, until we can significantly reduce or |
| Simply put, arrests made by TABC officers while | | | | eliminate the mixed messages that exist in our society |
| drinkers are still in the bars are too intrusive and in | | | | about drinking alcohol, I believe that we will continue to |
| some instances, unfair. This being said, however, I don't | | | | experience and hear about alcohol-related horror |
| think that Texas' "hard-drinking image" and tourism | | | | stories that have become staples of the news |
| issues should affect the intent to significantly reduce | | | | industry. In the meantime, however, an increasing |
| the number of Texans who die or who are injured in | | | | number of laws will be passed that are explicitly |
| alcohol-related accidents each year. Image and tourism | | | | directed towards reducing drunken driving. Some these |
| are legitimate issues, but they should not influence laws | | | | laws, however, will be so extreme and intrusive that |
| that are passed to reduce alcohol-related injuries and | | | | they shouldn't exist in a civilized society. TABC, are |
| fatalities on the Texas highways. | | | | you listening? |
| A Real-Life Example | | | | Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All Rights Reserved |
| I am in favor of creative ways to significantly reduce | | | | Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article |
| the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities | | | | as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit |
| experienced on our nation's highways, but sting | | | | the article in any way, and give the author credit. |