The first Seattle weekend in which liquor was sold at grocery stores failed to unleash the torrent of violent, dangerous behavior that opponents of privatized liquor (including the national beer industry, cops, and employee unions who staffed state-run liquor stores) had warned us about.

Asked if there was any uptick in alcohol-related crime this weekend, Seattle Police Department sergeant Sean Whitcomb said no. "As far as community issues at grocery stores, nothing that's on our radar," Whicomb said. He fielded input from a few other officers who also reported no liquor-at-Safeway-related mayhem, even though liquor was sold at retail outlets until 2:00 a.m. instead of the bankers' hours of the state-run stores. This weekend did bring a few major crimes, he said, including a stabbing and a person with a gun. But alcohol-related? "Nothing that would rise to the level of police concern at this point." Admittedly, it's the first weekend, and more alcohol availability can lead some types of people to abuse alcohol.

So if you see any drunken brawls in the produce aisle, you know what to do. "We ask people to give us a call and we will investigate," Whitcomb said.