University News
Grant Enables OPS and MPD to Step Up Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws
January 28, 2010
MACOMB, IL - - Thanks to grant funding awarded by the Illinois Higher Education Center (IHEC), Western Illinois University's Office of Public Safety (OPS), Western's Alcohol and Other Drug Resource Center (AODRC) and Macomb Police Department (MPD) will be able to engage in additional underage-drinking prevention efforts on WIU's Macomb campus and in the Macomb community this semester. According to Vivian Coeur, health education specialist at AODRC (part of Beu Health Center at Western), the $15,000 grant award will help OPS and MPD step up enforcement for underage drinking and open alcohol incidents. She added that the grant will also provide AODRC funds with which to sponsor initiatives that can educate students about the consequences of underage alcohol consumption and high-risk drinking behavior in general.
"The research shows that enforcement is an effective factor in reducing underage drinking. This particular deterrent -- the fact that an underage student could recognize he or she could be ticketed and fined for making the choice to consume alcohol illegally -- often outweighs other persuasive factors," Coeur said.
According to MPD Deputy Chief Eric Lenardt, fines for underage consumption and possession and open alcohol consumption in public can range anywhere from $250-$750.
"We will be checking for underage drinking in both 'on-premise' establishments, such as bars and restaurants, as well as in 'off-premise' establishments, such as liquor stores and gas stations that sell alcohol," explained MPD Chief Curt Barker. "Compliance checks -- during which we check to see if liquor stores or gas stations are selling alcohol to minors -- are also a way to provide enforcement," he said.
Barker also noted that if an underage individual uses a false ID to purchase alcohol or obtain entry into an over-21 establishment, officers can not only ticket the student who uses the false ID, but they can also ticket the person who let the underage individual use the ID to get into the establishment.
"The legal system can also contact the Secretary of State to report the alcohol violation, and this may result in a driver's license suspension," Coeur added. "We're doing all of this as a prevention mechanism, because we're trying to prevent the bad things that happen to students when they are drinking alcohol illegally or in a high-risk manner."
OPS Sergeant Curtis Bilbrey noted that the OPS is pleased to take part in this grant.
"This gives our officers a chance to assist in the educational process and help provide a safer environment for our students," he said.
According to Coeur, this is the second time the three agencies have utilized the grant funding to provide additional enforcement; from March to May 2009, AODRC, OPS and MPD utilized the enforcement of underage drinking law (EUDL) monies to fund special EUDL law-enforcement details that targeted minors consuming alcohol and individuals committing open alcohol violations.
Barker noted that during the stepped-up enforcement period that was funded through last year's grant award, approximately 90 citations were issued to students for underage drinking. Coeur added that the data gathered from the increased officer action and other programs or initiatives funded through the grant will be provided to the IHEC, as well as to the U.S. Department of Human Services.
For more information, contact Coeur at (309) 298-2457 or V-Coeur@wiu.edu.
Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
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