By Jaimee Lynn
Orange County Register
HUNTINGTON BEACH — Councilman views listing the arrest log as a ‘public shaming for those who drive drunk.’
Those accused of drunken driving may soon see their names posted on the Huntington Beach police Facebook page.
Councilman Devin Dwyer is recommending that police start posting the arrest log, which includes drunken-driving arrestees, on the page that was launched in November. He’s asking City Council members to take up the idea at their meeting on Tuesday.
Dwyer wrote in an agenda report that he started receiving calls from residents after the local paper stopped publishing names, which prompted him to find a new outlet to get the information out to the public.
He said at the Nov. 15 meeting when police announced the launch of their social network site that he thought the Facebook list could serve as a “sort of public shaming for those who drive drunk.”
The listing could also act as a drinking-and-driving deterrent as well as a public information service, he wrote in his agenda report.
“Some people criticized me for suggesting that arrest information, absent a conviction, should be available to the public,” he wrote in his report.
“However, (the law) requires that law enforcement agencies shall make information available to the public regarding every individual arrested by that agency.”
Arrest logs are available for public review at the Police Department.
Some readers disagreed with the suggestion when the first Register story ran, saying without a conviction, it’s unfair to post their names.
MarlaJameswrote: “What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”
Sandblast wrote: “Horrible idea. Fire away, I know. But these people have not been convicted of anything yet. I just do not see the point.”
But others agreed with Dwyer’s suggestion.
NBOC929 wrote: “Good - I say go for it! Some newspapers already print ‘weekly’ the names of people whom get arrested for DUI.”
Huknows wrote: “This is a start, but there is still a long way to go. I say they should have to pick up trash while wearing a shirt with ‘drunk driver’ printed on it in bold letters.”
Dwyer said he researched drunken driving and obtained information from Mothers Against Drunk Driving and added his concern about making the public aware of habitual drunk drivers, those who get behind the wheel with a suspended or revoked license after a conviction.
He says in his report he wants the habitual drunk drivers to be posted on the site as well.
The council meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Copyright 2011 Orange County Register