Zero Tolerance for Public Drinking 2013

“Zero Tolerance for Public Drinking” Campaign Reminds Revelers to Party Safely on New Year’s Eve

San Francisco Police Stresses “Safe, Sane & Sober” Behavior on Tuesday, December 31

30 December 2013 – San Francisco, CA: As in years past, thousands of revelers are expected to ring in the New Year throughout San Francisco on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 and into the wee hours of January 1, 2014. As was the case last year, San Francisco City officials are reminding partiers to keep it safe, sane and sober on City streets.

“For the last few years, we have instituted a policy aimed at taking individuals who were drinking in public or drunk in public off the streets. This year, we will continue to remove offending individuals from the streets,” said San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr. “We want everyone to have a good time, but we want to remind people of a simple fact: drinking in public is illegal. It only takes one drunk driver or one out of control individual to spoil the festivities for dozens of people.”

Chief Suhr also stressed that there will be zero tolerance for open containers of alcohol.

While there is no official City sponsored celebration or street closures for New Year’s Eve, there is an annual fireworks display over San Francisco Bay for which many people line the sidewalks along the Embarcadero to observe at midnight.

“It’s a wonderful, celebratory evening but one in which people sometimes take their partying to the streets,” says Chief Suhr, noting that over the years, New Year’s Eve has sometimes become an excuse for nuisance and even violent behavior. Just in case, Suhr makes clear: the SFPD, including its alcohol control officers, will be out in force to ensure public safety. “This year – as in years past – we just want to remind people to keep it safe, sane and sober in San Francisco this New Year’s Eve. Spending the night in the SFPD drunk tank – or worse – is no way to celebrate.”