(a) An intoxicated person may come voluntarily to an approved public treatment facility for emergency treatment. A person who appears to be intoxicated in a public place and to be in need of help or a person who appears to be intoxicated in or upon licensed premises where intoxicating liquors are sold or consumed who refuses to leave upon being requested to leave by the owner, an employee, or a peace officer may be taken into protective custody and assisted by a peace officer or a member of the emergency service patrol to the person’s home, an approved public treatment facility, an approved private treatment facility, or another appropriate health facility. If all of the preceding facilities, including the person’s home, are determined to be unavailable, a person taken into protective custody and assisted under this subsection may be taken to a state or municipal detention facility in the area. However, emergency protective custody under this subsection may not include placement of a minor in a jail or secure facility.
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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 47.37.170

  • action: includes any matter or proceeding in a court, civil or criminal. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • peace officer: means
    (A) an officer of the state troopers. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
  • state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
(b) A person who appears to be incapacitated by alcohol or drugs in a public place shall be taken into protective custody by a peace officer or a member of the emergency service patrol and immediately brought to an approved public treatment facility, an approved private treatment facility, or another appropriate health facility or service for emergency medical treatment. If no treatment facility or emergency medical service is available, a person who appears to be incapacitated by alcohol or drugs in a public place shall be taken to a state or municipal detention facility in the area if that appears necessary for the protection of the person’s health or safety. However, emergency protective custody under this subsection may not include placement of a minor in a jail or secure facility.
(c) A person who voluntarily appears or is brought to an approved public treatment facility shall be examined by a licensed physician or other qualified health practitioner as soon as possible. The department shall, by regulation, determine which health practitioners may be authorized to perform the examination. After the examination, the person may be admitted as a patient or referred to another health facility. The approved public treatment facility which refers the person shall arrange for transportation.
(d) A person who, after medical examination at an approved private treatment facility, or another appropriate health facility or service for emergency medical treatment, is found to be incapacitated by alcohol or drugs at the time of admission or to have become incapacitated by alcohol or drugs at any time after admission, may not be detained at a facility after the person is no longer incapacitated by alcohol or drugs. A person may not be detained at a facility if the person remains incapacitated by alcohol for more than 48 hours after admission as a patient. A person may consent to remain in the facility as long as the physician in charge considers it appropriate.
(e) A person who is not admitted to an approved public treatment facility, is not referred to another health facility, and has no funds, may be taken to the person’s home, if any. If the person has no home, the approved public treatment facility shall assist the person in obtaining shelter.
(f) If a patient is admitted to an approved public treatment facility, family or next of kin shall be promptly notified. If an adult patient who is not incapacitated by alcohol or drugs requests that there be no notification of next of kin, the request shall be granted.
(g) A person may not bring an action for damages based on the decision under this section to take or not to take an intoxicated person or a person incapacitated by alcohol or drugs into protective custody, unless the action is for damages caused by gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
(h) If the physician in charge of the approved public treatment facility determines it is for the patient’s benefit, an attempt shall be made to encourage the patient to submit to further diagnosis and appropriate voluntary treatment.
(i) A person taken to a detention facility under (a) or (b) of this section may be detained only (1) until a treatment facility or emergency medical service is made available, (2) until the person is no longer intoxicated or incapacitated by alcohol or drugs, or (3) for a maximum period of 12 hours, whichever occurs first. A detaining officer or a detention facility official may release a person who is detained under (a) or (b) of this section at any time to the custody of a responsible adult. A peace officer or a member of the emergency service patrol, in detaining a person under (a) or (b) of this section and in taking the person to a treatment facility, an emergency medical service, or a detention facility, is taking the person into protective custody and the officer or patrol member shall make reasonable efforts to provide for and protect the health and safety of the detainee. In taking a person into protective custody under (a) and (b) of this section, a detaining officer, a member of the emergency service patrol, or a detention facility official may take reasonable steps for self-protection, including a full protective search of the person of a detainee. Protective custody under (a) and (b) of this section does not constitute an arrest and no entry or other record may be made to indicate that the person detained has been arrested or charged with a crime, except that a confidential record may be made that is necessary for the administrative purposes of the facility to which the person has been taken or that is necessary for statistical purposes where the person’s name may not be disclosed.
(j)[Repealed, Sec. 21 ch 66 SLA 1996].
(k) In this section, “minor” means an individual who is under 18 years of age.
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