Sunday Sales & Crime

The idea that greater availability of alcohol leads to greater abuse simply cannot be backed up. The thought that by simply extending Sunday sales to include 12:30pm to midnight will increase alcohol related crime is a falsehood backed up by studies right here in Georgia.

• Rome

  I have a 3 year study recently completed by the Rome Police Department which shows that overall not only did alcohol related crime, which is underage possession, DUI, open container, and public drunkeness, not increase but actually saw a decrease of just over 7.5% in the 1 year and 7 months after Sunday sales were voted in compared to the same period prior to Sunday sales.

  According to Capt. Burnett of the Rome Police Dept Office of Professional Standards who confimed the findings stated, "There has been no extra enforcement action necessary."

• Remerton

  In another Georgia city, Remerton City Manager, Biran McDougal has seen similar statics in Remerton. McDougal stated that Sunday alcohol sales have not affected crime in the city. There are limited cases of any activity related to alcohol and drinking on Sundays, according to McDougal.

  Mayor Peggi Siefert deemed crime relating to Sunday Alcohol sales a "non-existant issue" and stated that there is no parallel between the two.

• Valdosta

  Now in Valdosta, GA, Sheriff Ashley Paulk and Capt. J.D. Yeager of the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office stated they do not believe Sunday alcohol sales will affect crime one way or another. They added that it is an issue that they believe should be left up to the citizens to vote on.

• Macon

  In Macon, where residents voted to allow Sunday sales in 1986, alcohol related incidents didn't increase, according to Macon Police Sgt. Anthony Hubbard.