# Had too many? Ask Fla. police for a ride



## sweeper20 (Dec 22, 2006)

SHALIMAR, Fla. --Residents in this Panhandle town can call the police for a ride home if they have had too many drinks. The new service was posted in the town's online newsletter Jan. 2, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. The Shalimar police will take residents who are too drunk to drive home from as far as 25 miles away.

"Some other people do the New Year's Eve thing and (the police) were talking, 'Why do it just on New Year's Eve?'" said Tom Burns, the town manager. "We've got the capability to do it probably year-round."
Residents who get stranded because of mechanical problems also can call for a ride.
Burns said the guidelines for the program are still loose and could be changed over time. He said police will have to use commonsense if someone seems to be taking advantage of the service.
Police Chief John E. Cash said he's heard other departments offering a similar service, at least during the holiday season.
"We're going above and beyond that," Cash said. "I don't think a lot of agencies do it."








© Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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## spdawg0734 (Nov 25, 2004)

Great, why dont they wipe their ass when their residents are done in the bathroom. What ever happend to personal responsibility. I guess they have nothing better to do in this town.


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## sweeper20 (Dec 22, 2006)

I thought it was pretty sad as well. Another three letter word besides cop: CAB.


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## PDExplorer3 (Nov 21, 2006)

thats alot of liability for a department... what happens when they hurt themselves in their or home or someone else. (just playing devils advocate)


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## BlackOps (Dec 29, 2004)

Can't say I agree 100% but it's better than some drunk getting behind the wheel and killing someone else.


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## spdawg0734 (Nov 25, 2004)

BlackOps said:


> Can't say I agree 100% but it's better than some drunk getting behind the wheel and killing someone else.


As much as I would not want someone to die needlessly in a dui accident, you do nothing to prevent it by playing baby seater to an irresponsible grown up child. The answer is if you are too drunk to drive, get a cab, take responsibility for your own actions. I would not want to have police officers playing cab drivers and later learn that a response to an emergency was delayed due to your patrol not being available, or heaven forbid you have not back up when needed because of this foolishness. It is just absurd and a miss use of police services. If the town is so concern and so loaded with money let them create a free town taxi service. This is totaly asinine.


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## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

This only encourages dumb ass people to be even less responsible than before.

What happens when the Cop Cab is really needed elsewhere?
Hmmm drive a dumb ass home who couldn't figure out to call a cab and pay for it or stop a rape in progress.

Protect and Serve does not include wiping asses.


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

Someones gonna have a nice chunck of change out of this one way or another. Just a stupid idea.


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## CJIS (Mar 12, 2005)

here is another artical

*Shalimar police offer rides home*


*By WENDY VICTORA*​
*[email protected]*

*2007-01-16*​
Comment on this story​​







SHALIMAR - Town residents now have another service that distinguishes them from folks living in larger municipalities.

If they drink too much or their car breaks down far from home, they can call the Shalimar police. An officer will bring a police car to take them home from as far as 25 miles away.

"Some other people do the New Year's Eve thing and (the police) were talking, 'Why do it just on New Year's Eve?' We've got the capability to do it probably year-round," said Town Manager Tom Burns. "And not just inebriated people."

The new service was advertised in the town's newsletter that was posted online Jan. 2. Cards will be printed up with a special cell phone number and distributed to every resident.

"The Shalimar residents pay for a police department," said Mayor Gary Combs. "We look for ways to give them more services."

Many of the town's 730 residents probably don't know about it yet. No one has called for help since it went into effect.

"I think that's a lovely gesture," resident Chris Larson said when the service was explained to her. "It makes (police) seem more human and that's important."

But she worried that some people might take advantage of it, particularly those who wanted to go out and drink without having to worry about driving home.

"I would maybe put a cap on it," Larson said. "You can't have more than three emergencies a month or you're abusing the system."

Burns said the parameters were loose at this point, but could be tightened or amended if needed.

"If somebody takes advantage of us, we'll handle that with common sense," said Burns, who added that the 25-mile radius could also be changed if it proved to be too far. "That was just our first gouge at it," he said.

Police Chief John E. Cash said he heard at a recent police chiefs seminar that at least one other department offered a similar service, especially during the holiday season. Shalimar is taking it a few steps further.

"We're going above and beyond that," Cash said. "I don't think a lot of agencies do it."

Certainly, Shalimar appears to be the only local department extending such a service.

"I've not heard of anything like that and we certainly don't have anything that," said Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Ted Litschauer. "You could have your police officer 25 miles out of town when your call comes in," he added.

Cash said that if Shalimar's officers are dealing with an emergency at the time, the stranded motorist would have to wait. The tiny department also has backup from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

Shalimar prides itself on thinking "out of the box" and doing things that other towns have never considered, Combs said. For example, the town's equipment - including tractor, trailer and tools - are routinely loaned to residents at no charge.

Folks can also use town hall, which has a kitchen, meeting room and two restrooms, for private functions for free.

"We're always looking at things the city can do to help the residents," Combs said. "In most cases, the city has bent over backward to bring them whatever services they want."

And Shalimar is doing those things while lowering its millage rate, he added.

"I think we're the only municipality that's been lowering taxes," Combs said.

Daily News Staff Writer Wendy Victora can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 478.


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2007)

I give drunks a ride all the time.....in handcuffs, to the police station.

The last time I drove a drunk home (10+ years ago), he took a taxi back to get his car, I ended up in a vehicle pursuit, and he had a horrendous traffic crash. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.

Once someone takes a seat in my police cruiser, they're my responsibility....any & all drunks are going in under PC to cover my ass. If the booking sergeant wants to release them, that's on him. I'm not risking my career for a stinky drunk.


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## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

You can bet that someone is going to end up suing the cops for something over this...what a flucking stupid idea.


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## Chree (Mar 14, 2005)

Is that Florida Chief's name really John E. Cash??? Parents must have loved Johnny Cash the singer....
I give drunks a ride home all the time....usually they are walking home and I am just avoiding a future pedestrain accident...


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## justanotherparatrooper (Aug 27, 2006)

Chree said:


> Is that Florida Chief's name really John E. Cash??? Parents must have loved Johnny Cash the singer....
> I give drunks a ride home all the time....usually they are walking home and I am just avoiding a future pedestrain accident...


After a thorough search I hope!


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## copcar65 (Aug 16, 2004)

First of all. most drunks I've run across honestly don't think they're drunk. I remember a Det. from Quincy fought the local high school when they wanted to do a "Safe Rides" program. Her point was the school would be endorsing the idea that you can still make good decisions when under the influence. Probably not the best message to be sending kids.

Second, even if some drunk did make the right decision, how many are going to call the cops???

Years ago when dispatching at Wellesly College they (like many other colleges) offered security escorts for students at night. When the new chief decided there was no reason the walking beat officers couldn't do the escorts, the whole "safety" aspect was exposed for what it was. It went something like this, "Is the officer going to be in a car?...No...never mind I'm all set".


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