Fundraiser Events/Alcohol Related in Mason County Every Year

[Jasper]

Curious of the number of alcohol related fundraising events held in Mason County. Also how many community events serve alcohol? It seems alcoholic beverages are served at many events for either fundraising, or just for the hell of it. Our local governments approve these events for alcohol consumption. Yet, how many times has someone been arrested for drunk driving after attending these various events? Does our local law enforcement look the other way when these fund raising events take place?

[stump]

To find that out you would need a FOIA's from both local law enforcement agencies. You would need all the dates and probably the day after to cover the late night drinkers. I wonder what information they would withhold on those arrest?

[XLFD]

I cannot say for Mason County in total, but I did get the special liquor licenses for Ludington for the year 2012 from LARA (the state regulator of such), which will show how many special drinking events there were. 

Additionally, the city council packets started being available around the same time which show police activity reports on a regular basis.  I do think it would be hard to statistically correlate in the summer months such a connection you look for, but you may find some significant data around recent Oktoberfests and the mid-winter Brrrewfests.

LPD seems most visible at these times, so I wouldn't be surprised if they are looking for those who may decide to drive buzzed and get some extra revenues and scalps. 

[Willy]

That's a good question Jasper. It would seem inevitable that local law enforcement would stand down and not police areas where these drinkfests were taking place less they discourage people from participating. Can anyone imagine the local cops lying in wait ready to nab party goers as they leave one of these functions. That would turn a beerfest into a temperance meeting in very short order. So it seems obvious to me that the police chief and sheriff issue orders to give a wide berth to any public celebrations whose mainstay includes alcohol consumption.  If only Sammy the cop had been drinking in a tent at the end of Ludington Ave he would assuredly have been ignored by the local police.

[Jasper]

This absolutely cracks me right up. COVE held a fundraiser this past weekend. This fundraiser involved alcoholic beverages. Statistics show approximately 50% of domestic violence involves alcohol or illicit drugs. Citizens are arraigned for DV and whether they are innocent or guilty are ordered to abstain from alcohol. But, yet COVE raises funds by promoting alcohol. Silly sh!t!

[John Doe Jr]

There have been several drunk driving arrests lately, from a State Trooper, a friend of the Mayor, to the Sister-in-Law to our current Judge, Who by the way, has dealings with Cove. If police can avoid witnesses at the scene for these elite drunks, they are hand delivered covertly to their homes. Some others that were arrested were most likely told if they do certain things they can pass the breathalyzer, and then there is never any more heard about it, or any charges filed. These events hosted by Cove are a bad idea. They open the door to drinking and driving, and overall do not reflect a healing environment process. Hopefully, if there is ever an event approved by COL where someone is injured, I hope they sue the City. This is why I call for dash cams to be installed and functioning in every LE vehicle and those cams to be reviewed daily by public oversight. The public must call these monsters into accountability.

[AQUAMAN]

Unless there is a super drunk stop for DUI, I think you are going to witness two scenarios, as per the usual. The first will be where a local is pulled over after an event and told he knows better, then is beat up and locked up in jail. The second scenario is going to be where a tourist is pulled over, given a warning, and let go, so as to not upset the order of event attendance with outsiders, whom these events are promoted for to begin with. If you have many of the local herd in stir, and have a hard time recruiting new DUI's, this is a very foxy way to get the numbers back up for fines and monies. I call it more like entrapment, LPD thinks otherwise.

[shinblind]

If you believe it is bad now wait and see what happens if the West End Scheme goes through and there is a permanent beer tent or tiki bar down there all summer. I am sure this area will be hands off for arrests as it will be an additional revenue source for the city. The fudgies especially  will get a pass the the locals will get hammered, that is hammered in their wallets.

I cannot imagine any local bars or private watering holes supporting the West End Scheme seeing as their tax money will be used in competition  against them especially during the important summer season.