POLICE ASK STATE FOR HELP TO CONTROL PUBLIC DRINKING

PALO ALTO - The Palo Alto Police Department has asked the California
Attorney General's Office to help devise a strategy to control the
sale of alcohol to people with histories of public drunkenness, after
the city's first attempt fizzled.

Palo Alto and Menlo Park began distributing photographs of habitual
drunks to local liquor stores in December, hoping to discourage the
stores from selling to these problem drinkers. But the effort was
halted amid questions about its legality.

Menlo Park Police Chief Bruce Cumming said Friday that the departments
still want to find a way to cut down on persistent problems with
public drunkenness. But Cumming said police would wait until Palo Alto
hears back from the Attorney General's Office before embarking on a
new project.

Compiled from staff and wire reports by Mercury News Staff Writer
Elise Banducci.