Florida town says residents can call police for a ride home if they've had too many drinks

(AP) Residents in this Panhandle town can call the police for a ride home if they have had too many drinks. The new service was posted in the town's online newsletter Jan. 2, according to the Northwest Florida Daily News. The Shalimar police will take residents who are too drunk to drive home from as far as 25 miles away.

"Some other people do the New Year's Eve thing and (the police) were talking, 'Why do it just on New Year's Eve?'" said Tom Burns, the town manager. "We've got the capability to do it probably year-round."

Residents who get stranded because of mechanical problems also can call for a ride.

Burns said the guidelines for the program are still loose and could be changed over time. He said police will have to use commonsense if someone seems to be taking advantage of the service.

Police Chief John E. Cash said he's heard other departments offering a similar service, at least during the holiday season.

"We're going above and beyond that," Cash said. "I don't think a lot of agencies do it."