Weekend incidents included three cases of public intoxication

The most recent weekend was fairly typical in Elk Grove for the city's police. A review of the crime log showed the usual cases of petty theft, domestic violence and d.u.i.'s.

Over the last several months though, it seems every weekend and several nights a week police make arrests for public intoxication. Perhaps this is a function of warm weather.

We all know what a d.u.i. is, but what constitutes public intoxication?

According to the California Penal Code Section 647 (f), public intoxication is an individual

“found in any public place under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug, controlled substance, toluene, or any combination of any intoxicating liquor, drug, controlled substance, or toluene, in a condition that he or she is unable to exercise care for his or her own safety or the safety of others, or by reason of his or her being under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug, controlled substance, toluene, or any combination of any intoxicating liquor, drug, or toluene, interferes with or obstructs or prevents the free use of any street, sidewalk, or other public way.”

According to Elk Grove police officer Christopher Trim most arrests for public intoxication comes as a result of a service call.

"The primary concerns when encountering an individual who is intoxicated are the well being and care of the intoxicated person and the safety of the community at large. Yes we do have procedures covering dealing with intoxicated persons (both adults and minors)," Trim wrote in response to a question from this organization.

Purse snatchers targeting specific victims?

In an unrelated matter, in the last few weeks there were two cases of purse snatching. Though not uncommon, each of the victims were middle ages women of Asian descent.

In one case, the lady was robbed in her own garage. One must think in this case the crime involved a degree of planning.

Though two incidents hardly make a trend, in San Jose Asian women have recently been targeted victims of purse snatching (listen to report) according to a report by Public Radio International Radio's The World program.
Hopefully these two purse snatching incidents in Elk Grove are the exception and not the start of a new crime trend.