'Not A Joke': Phoenixville PD Request For Drunken Volunteers Stirs Fascination

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — As unlikely as it may seem, police in Phoenixville are indeed searching for volunteers to come down to the police station and get drunk.

Police will provide the alcoholic beverages, and snacks. They will not drink. They will watch you drink.

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On social media platforms, many residents initially assumed the announcement was facetious. Local government entities, after all, routinely issue far more cringeworthy and dubious "jokes" around April 1. This, to some commenters, was a more hilarious notion than most.

But it's not a trick nor an April Fool's. It's a real request for members of the public to help train officers in field sobriety tests and related scenarios.

Police have not said how many volunteers they've received thus far, nor have they specified what types of alcohol will be provided. They did not immediately respond to a request for related details.

"Wet labs" have been in use by police departments around the country for decades, but the idea is novel to many locals and it has gripped their imagination. Thousands have engaged with the proposal on various police social media channels, including Phoenixville and Schuylkill Township.

Questions abound: if it's liquor, is it shots, or mixed drinks? Are beers from Phoenixville breweries? Would wine be poured in a wine glass, or a beaker for easier measurement? Does a police officer stir your martini or tap a keg, or do you do it yourself?

The reality is a pretty closely controlled experience. Attendees will be tested routinely as they drink, so they reach the desired inebriation level. Volunteers will be tested prior to arrival, so they cannot drink before they come to the class.

The "wet lab" classes will be held May 5 through May 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Interested individuals should contact Officer Matthew Fusco at Mfusco@phoenixville.org and complete the class enrollment form here.