ACPO proposes drunk tanks for binge drinkers

Under the proposal, drunks who are a danger to themselves would be put in drunk tanks to sober up. They will be billed for their care.

07:40 19 September 2013

Based on reports, drunk people takes so much police time. Instead of ensuring peace and order around the community, some police officers have to spend time taking drunk people off the road, putting them in a cell, and wait for them to sober up. ACPO said that this should stop.

Northamptonshire Chief Constable Adrian Lee said: "Why don't we take them to a drunk cell owned by a commercial company and get the commercial company to look after them during the night until they are sober?

"When that is over, we will issue them with a fixed penalty and the company will be able to charge them for their care, which would be at quite significant cost and that might be a significant deterrent."

An ACPO spokesman said that this initiative will only apply to those drunks who pose danger to themselves. Those who have committed crimes will still be taken to the police cell. She added that since police offices have the duty to ensure that drunks are safe, drunks typically take up unnecessary police resources.