California city to shame drunk drivers on FACEBOOK

After the idea was suggested Monday at a City Council meeting, the city's Police Department is looking into posting the names of suspected drunk drivers on Facebook, said Lt. Russell Reinhart.

Councilman Devin Dwyer asked police if they could post the names of people arrested for drunk driving on the city's Facebook page, because the local newspaper has stopped publishing the listings.

"I didn't think public shaming for driving under the influence was such a bad idea," Dwyer said. "I would use any tool necessary to bring down the numbers of drunk drivers."

The idea is part of an aggressive anti-drunk-driving initiative by the city that calls for more officers focusing on DUI cases, posting of the names of people arrested for drunk driving on the city website, and letters to bars when one of their patrons is arrested for driving under the influence.

A July report by the city said there is "a significant DUI problem in Huntington Beach," citing 274 alcohol-related collisions and 1,687 drunk-driving arrests last year -- one of the highest rates statewide for a city its size.