Data derived from records of 12,929 individuals detained for drunkenness by the police of Cologne in the years 1968 to 1972 and in 1976. Results show that 41 percent of the individuals were found drunk in the inner city, most frequently on the weekend between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. The sobering-up process usually lasted about 5 hours. The number of women held for drunkenness were likely to be middle-aged, male, unmarried, and without profession. While a number of drunken individuals were found injured before arrest or were injured during arrest, no deaths during incarceration were recorded. Arrests for drunkenness are especially prevalent during the Carnival period. Deaths resulting from police officers' failure to recognize the seriousness of intoxification are rare. The question of whether a drunken individual should be kept in police custody or given over to the care of a physician remains open. A brief bibliography is supplied.