Foxborough Voters Adopt Public Endangerment Act

With no debate, Foxborough voters adopted article 10 Monday night, 153-12.

The article, supported by selectmen and the advisory committee, will petition the Legislature to pass a Public Endangerment Act, allowing Foxborough police to fine publicly intoxicated persons "who create a danger to themselves or others."

The article stated, "to petition the State's General Court for special legislation on the matter of a non criminal penalty, including a fine and enforcing protective custody if necessary on matters of public endangerment..."

Attorney General Martha Coakley has twice rejected Foxborough's public drunkenness by-law, passed at the March 7 special town meeting, because of a conflict with a 1971 state law decriminalizing public drunkenness.

The advisory committee noted that they considered this act with "complete reliance that it would stand up to legal challenges." They also stated, that they were informed prior to the meeting that protective custodies have peaked over 1,000 this year alone.

Foxborough police and town officials support the act, as they aim to reduce public safety problems fueled by public drunkenness.