It’s a Friday night, and you and your girls are tossing back Pinnacle Whipped Vodka from shot glasses marked with catchy phrases like, “Keep Calm and Get Drunk,” while trying not to break an ankle in your Michael Kors wedges. Are you going to a fraternity party? Hell no, y’all are going downtown! Hitting the downtown scene is pretty much a guaranteed good time for any weekend and Wednesday night in Auburn – but only if you go prepared! There’s no better way to ruin an awesome time then having a run-in with the police, so take these tips into consideration when going out.
ABC: Alabama Beverage Control
Now these are some people that you really want to avoid when you go downtown, because their job is to find (and potentially arrest) underage drinkers and anyone going totally out of control at the bars. Now, if you’re 21 and know how to pace yourself you really don’t have much to worry about as far as ABC is concerned. If you are under 21 and drinking at the bar, whether you’ve scrubbed off your X’s and are hiding your hands or used a fake ID, you might want to keep these things in consideration.
- ABC usually show up to the bars on particularly busy nights, like the first and last Wednesday nights of the semester and game days, but can show up at any time.
- They dress to blend in with the crowd, so there’s no way to spot them just by looking for them.
- The bars are told when ABC will be there, so they will often set up extra tables and chairs on the dance floors to make it harder for people to blend into a massive crowd.
- If you hear someone say ‘ABC’ immediately put your drink down and move away – if you don’t have a drink in your hand then it’s extremely unlikely ABC will pay attention to you.
- Be smart about washing the X’s off your hands. Pro tip: only wash the X off of the hand that’s ‘supposed’ to have a wristband and hold your drink in that hand. Keep the other X on just in case someone asks you to show it, and pretend the other X just washed off in the bathroom.
- If an ABC officer comes up to you, don’t be belligerent and, for the love of God, show them your real ID. You don’t want to end up with an MIP and arrested for having a fake ID.
Talking to Police
I’m going to go ahead and throw out there that, under zero circumstances, should you be driving while under the influence of alcohol or any other substance – so DO NOT DO IT. However, walking doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be stopped by the police, particularly bike cops. Those guys will get you, despite the fact that they’re riding around downtown on a bike. So here are some tips on what to do and not do when talking with a policeman:
- Confidence is key, but don’t be contempt.
- You don’t have to stop and talk to them unless the police say you are being detained (this doesn’t mean you’re arrested, but you do need to stay until you are told you are no longer detained); they have to have probable cause or reasonable suspicion (a.k.a. you’re stumbling down the street like a zombie, your friends are having to carry you, or you have an obvious drink in your hand) to detain you, otherwise you can walk away if you choose.
- Again, they can’t question or search you without probable cause or reasonable suspicion; therefore you have the constitutional right to refuse both. If you don’t feel comfortable answering their questions, calmly state, “I don’t wish to answer any questions,” or, “I refuse a search.”
- It varies state to state whether or not you are required to give your name and ID to the police, but to be on the safe side I would. Auburn police generally ask for identification.
- If you have to show the police your ID, then as with ABC, show them your real one to avoid even worse trouble.
General Rules to Keep in Mind:
- Open Container Law: no one, even if you’re 21 or older, can carry open containers (solo cup, water bottle, etc.) outside of appropriate venues – this means outside of bars, fraternity property, etc. This rule doesn’t apply on game days, but again, not every day.
- Make sure you know how you’re getting to and from the bars. Either walk (with a friend!), take the Night Shuttle (334-844-7400) or Gotcha Ride (855-446-8242) or a taxi (334-444-4444), Toomer’s Ten, or have a sober friend drive.
- Don’t take drinks from strangers unless you watch the bartender make it because, you know, they could be a psychopath and you’ll end up in a situation worse than The Hangover.
- Every so often the police department sets up DUI checkpoints, so keep an ear out and DON’T DRIVE.
Now that you’re armed with the power of knowledge, go on, ladies– a little party never killed nobody.