Foxboro Wants To Fine Public Drunks $200
FOXBORO (CBS) - Foxboro is taking a stand against public drunkenness.
Residents voted 100-to-47 at a special town meeting Monday night to pass a bylaw that creates a $200 fine for public intoxication that requires protective police custody.
WBZ-TV's Jim Smith reports
The chief of police proposed the measure because he says the situation is getting out of hand, especially during Patriots games and concerts at Gillette Stadium.
The measure does not specifically target Gillette Stadium. In fact, the chief says it is meant to discourage binge drinking in general, which is said to be on the rise.
In the last six months, 953 people have had to be taken into protective custody because of something alcohol-related and just a small percentage actually live in Foxboro.
If each of those 953 people paid the proposed $200 fine that would generate $190,600 for the town.
The town meeting also set a $200 fine for public consumption of marijuana.
Both the drinking and marijuana fines are civil, but if you don't pay up, it could become a criminal issue.
The new regulations still must be approved by the state attorney general.
