Billings Wants to Build a “Sobering Center” for Drunk Transients and Homeless People

Recently, a group of City leaders met to discuss the ongoing problem with intoxicated transients and homeless people in downtown Billings. Their latest idea is a doozy.

They read about a "Sobering Center" in San Diego, where the local homeless and transient community will be transported.  Now, they want to build a similar facility in Billings that will be staffed around the clock.  Which, of course, will cost taxpayers a ton of money and will take away resources from those who are actually seeking help.

One of the biggest issues is the lack of jail cells to lock up repeat offenders.  The numbers are mind boggling.  Police have identified 74 people who, combined, have been arrested over 3,300 times.  Of those arrests, over 2,700 were for open containers.  The cops don't have any place to put these people, so they get released and go right back to drinking on the streets.

Here's a few ways Mark and Paul would tackle this problem.  First, Billings needs a Public Intoxication Law.  It's not against the law to be drunk in public, but it should be.  If our City Council can pass a law banning cell phones in our cars, they can outlaw public intoxication on our streets.

Secondly, local shelters should administer breathalyzer tests to everyone seeking public assistance.  Before they can get a meal, or a bed to sleep in, they have to sober up.  This would allow increased access to services for those people who really need it.

Finally, instead of building and staffing our own facility, we could just put them on a bus and drive them to the Sobering Center in San Diego.  If that's working so well, just send there. The $80 bus ticket would be a lot cheaper than building a similar center in Billings.