We are not a drunk tank

[bhskittykatt]

Dear police department:

My motel is not a drunk tank. No, I'm not going to go out to help a guest who's too drunk to find his room and is making vague threats against my well being, especially when it's dark and I'm the only one here. Not happening. At least stick around long enough to show them their room if you're dropping them off here. Though I'd prefer it if you took your drunken, unwashed masses elsewhere.

Thank you.


Seriously, it took me over 15 minutes to check in this guy because he couldn't find his wallet or ID. Then it took another 20 for the police to return because he came back wanting me to show him his room and got irate when I refused. Like, real short fuse. Like crazy short. Like, crazy as in he'd try to drag me into the room to murder me kinda crazy. Yeah, no. I'm not supposed to leave the desk for any reason. (I have in the past, but not for this guy. He did not seem safe!)

He was muttering things about how I was going to burn in hell, burn real good. He said he was blind and had a broken leg. Funny...he was walking on it fine (though a bit stumbly from drinking so much), and he could see things like the reg card well enough...our room numbers are WAY bigger than the tiny lines on the reg card. He did have a cataract in one eye, but I strongly suspect his real impairment was much more booze than vision related. My lobby still stinks of alcohol. Bleck.

The cops like to do this to us regularly. Maybe they're full-up downtown, or maybe they just hate us, but they'll just drop off someone who's so drunk they can't stand, and leave them with us. Don't help them to the room, don't even check to see if we have rooms, they just kick them out in the parking lot and drive off. Sometimes the people they kick out will pass out in the lobby before we can even check them in.

[Balgram]

Why do the police do this? Seriously, I don't get wasted and I don't really know. Is it customary to drop off drunk people at motels? It seems totally illogical to me.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Since when did it become a legitimate policing tactic to dump the drunks onto a private business and make them deal with them?

[Sapphire Silk]

The cops are really in a bind.

Jailers won't accept drunks in most jails anymore. Mildly drunk is one thing. Falling down drunk means they are likely to drown in their own vomit. This requires a medical clearance first. ERs often require an officer to wait with the prisoner, which keeps a cop off the streets.

So it's often easier just to take them home and let them sleep it off there. That way the cops don't have to worry about a custodial death, or losing an officer in the ER while asshat soberts up.

Not making excuses. They really should reform the drunk tank into an open ward infirmary for drunks, complete with nursing supervision. But it's expensive.

[Flying Grype]

If there's a dangerous guy on your premises, call 911. No, officer, I don't know how he got here!

[Hanzoku]

^ The above. Also, make a complaint to any supervisory agency (Mayor's office perhaps?) or talk to a media friend about the police abandoning drunks without ID in your parking lot...

[Beki710]

Surely part of the police's job is to look out for the safety of the general public? Dropping off someone who is drunk and could possibly become violent and angry doesn't seem to be really adhering to this...

[PepperElf]

that sucks. cos it sounds like your hands are tied too.

i mean you can complain to the police about it but... at what cost? will they be as fast to respond if you give them a hard time about using you as a drunk tank?

only thing i can think of is maybe contacting the local county government about the issue to see if they can help

[Hanzoku]

I think it's bhskitty's hotel that has a problem with the police not liking them to start with, but it could be another of our hotel-running posters. If it is bhskitty's hotel... well, it can't really get much worse without going into official harassment and failure to perform their duty

[MiloMorai]

as soon as you see them do it call 911 and tell them to come get the guy off the property. Or during regular hours call the chief or mayor and tell him to put a stop to it. If that doesn't work go to the media.

[EricKei]

as soon as you see them do it call 911 and tell them to come get the guy off the property.

Exactly. Make them come out a second time (or more!) to deal with the same dude. Sooner or later they'll stop using your parking lot as a dumping ground (tho they may just start using a different place instead) >_<

[XCashier]

Jailers won't accept drunks in most jails anymore. Mildly drunk is one thing. Falling down drunk means they are likely to drown in their own vomit. This requires a medical clearance first. ...They really should reform the drunk tank into an open ward infirmary for drunks, complete with nursing supervision. But it's expensive.

Yes, they should. If the jails aren't equipped to handle falling-down drunks, what makes them think hotels are?! No hotel I've ever heard of has a nursing staff.

There has to be someone you can talk to about this without getting in trouble. The mayor's office perhaps?

[LillFilly]

Sigh; and then they hurt themselves on your property because they're too drunk to walk straight and sue you for their injuries...

[Seshat]

Not making excuses. They really should reform the drunk tank into an open ward infirmary for drunks, complete with nursing supervision. But it's expensive.

Tax alcohol and/or fine the drunks to pay for it.

[EricKei]

Tax alcohol and/or fine the drunks to pay for it.

It already is quite heavily taxed -- not as highly as tobacco is (afaik), but still much more so than most consumer goods. For better or for worse, these taxes are not much of a deterrent.

However, what said extra taxes *should* be used for vs what they actually *do* get used for is probably better off on Fratching, methinks ^_^;>