On Labor Day 2007, San Diego lifeguards and police officers were called to control a mob of several hundred people — most of them intoxicated — gathered at the foot of Reed Street in Pacific Beach. It wasn’t the first time San Diego lifeguards had been called on to deal with intoxicated beachgoers, just the most publicized. In fact, as one of the last beach areas in the region that still allowed alcohol on the beach, more and more of our resources were being committed to alcohol-related enforcement activities on a daily basis. Under-age drinking, binge drinking, fights, verbal harassment and other alcohol-related misconduct were widespread on our beaches. And every incident of drunk and disorderly conduct we were involved with took lifeguards away from our more traditional water safety responsibilities. In January, a trial ban on beach alcohol took effect, and the results have been quite dramatic. Our beaches are no longer a magnet for out-of-control partying. Families with young children are returning, no longer concerned their day at the beach may be ruined by encounters with belligerent drunks. Crimes in the beach areas have decreased 14 percent. Alcohol offenses on the beach decreased significantly, and there were more than 50 percent fewer alcohol offenses involving minors. The piles of trash that used to mark the site of drunken parties have disappeared. Senior citizens are able to safely enjoy strolls along the boardwalk. And, this year, lifeguards and other public safety officers have been able to spend more of our time protecting your safety. For example, the response times for emergency calls were a full minute faster this year in the beach areas than the previous year. None of these changes should come as a surprise. There is a reason why every major beach city in California, and in most other areas of the nation, long ago banned beach alcohol for precisely the same reasons San Diego did. Nor should it be a surprise that soon after San Diego’s trial ban went into effect, most other area jurisdictions without such restrictions followed suit. No community wants to be the magnet for beach alcohol abuse. It’s been gratifying to hear the comments of beachgoers — both San Diego residents and visitors from other parts of the country — remarking on how clean and safe our beaches have become. It’s no wonder that beach communities like Fort Lauderdale, which had reputations for beach alcohol abuse, experienced significant increases in tourism when their beaches became alcohol-free. I’ve personally talked to many residents who initially had misgivings about the trial ban. It’s been a San Diego tradition to permit alcohol consumption at the beach, and traditions die hard. But most who expressed misgivings have changed their minds since they’ve seen the results. They have seen a lot of people enjoying themselves on the beach in a safer environment. Some did have concerns of over-policing of the beach to enforce the ban, but this year, even with the ban in place, alcohol citations were reduced by 17 percent. Every San Diegan has a right to enjoy safe, clean beaches. It would be a mistake to go back to the pre-Labor Day riot conditions. If San Diego were to become the only jurisdiction in the region that permits alcohol on its beaches, an important part of our community’s heritage will be threatened. A “yes” vote on Proposition D on the November ballot makes the one-year trial ban permanent and ensures that we can keep our beaches safe and clean.