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Addressing the issue of alcohol

Valley forum

Sonoma has a problem with alcohol. That problem is related in the Friday, Aug. 24 editorial (“Heartfelt thanks to Sonoma police”), and the page-one article in the same issue, “Police report July 4 problems.” Both point out that Sonoma has a liberal policy towards public consumption of alcohol, and that policy often leads to public drunkenness, minors in possession, disturbing the peace, vandalism and theft.

  We are a town with a very close tie to alcohol and its consumption. As evidenced by the statements of some city council members, and by the number of opportunities to consume on the Plaza, we are a town that does not seem to want to put limitations on that consumption.

  Our police chief has been telling us for years that we have a problem with alcohol consumption and its affects, but so far we haven’t listened.

  We lament that there is a problem with underage drinking. Why would we expect our children to behave differently than their parents? If we want to curb underage drinking, let’s start with curbing adult drinking.

  If the council does not want limitation, but responsibility, then the council should take responsibility by properly funding the police force.

  Give police chief Sackett the moneys and blessing to do what it takes to address the problems he has been shining a light on. My guess is that if the police started to write tickets for all the violations they see, and had the full support of the city in doing so, the revenue would pour in. Then maybe we would start to behave ourselves, and we would begin to set a better example for our children.

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  Bob Rudorf is a resident of Sonoma.