Reports of spiked drinks concern Whitefish police

Whitefish Police are warning people to keep an eye on their drinks while at local bars after receiving reports that some beverages may have been spiked with a foreign substance.

Police Chief Bill Dial says there have been “unsubstantiated instances” where both men and women feel they were drugged while in Whitefish.

“We’ve had a few people say it,” Dial told the Pilot last week.

A few women reportedly told police they felt more intoxicated than they would expect from the amount of alcohol they consumed, and that they experienced memory loss.

On Sunday, a woman told police she believed she and her friend were drugged on July 6 while at a bar downtown.

Still, local police have no solid leads to back up the claims.

Dial says his department is simply taking a “proactive” stance in cautioning people to be vigilant with their drinks while out on the town.

The type of drugs allegedly being used are unknown, Dial noted, although he speculates they could be of the date-rape variety.

Date-rape drugs often have no color, smell, or taste and can cause a person to become weak and confused or pass out.

Police recommend people take the following precautions while at bars:

• Do not leave your drink unattended or take a drink from a person you do not know.

• If you think your drink has been compromised, secure it for law enforcement. 

• Avoid drinking water or other beverages from containers, like pitchers, that have been placed on the bar and are not monitored.

• If you or the people you are with suspect that some type of drug has been given to a person they are with, get the person to the emergency room and tell the emergency room staff that the person may have been drugged. Time is of the essence as many drugs leave the body rapidly. Being tested immediately or at the latest within 72 hours is important. 

• A person who feels they have been drugged and/or sexually assaulted should immediately contact law enforcement so that vital evidence can be preserved. Do not change clothes, shower or remove any thing from your person which may aid the police in their investigation. Anything told to law enforcement or medical professionals is confidential.

• Take care of each other, secure phones, wallets, purses and other valuables in the trunk of your car before entering a bar and most importantly make sure that friends get home safe.