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University joins forces to reduce underage drinking

Sacramento State Police Chief Ken Barnett joined Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness and Sacramento Police Chief Albert Najera last week to announce efforts to increase enforcement and reduce youth access to alcohol.

The increased efforts come from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s (ABC) $3 million Grant Assistance Program. ABC is funding 41 agencies throughout California this year. The program funding is double the amount of last year’s program.

The Sacramento Police Department received $125,000 and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department received $101,000 to reduce underage drinking, arrest obviously intoxicated individuals and work on problem locations where alcohol is sold. The announcement of the grant was made on the Sacramento State campus last week.

Sacramento State Police say that even though underage drinking is less of a problem at Sacramento State than many other campuses, students here are not immune to the problems associated with high-risk drinking. Recent surveys found Sacramento State students generally drink less than their counterparts, and the campus wants to challenge the notion that excessive drinking is part of the college experience.

Throughout the semester, Sacramento State will work with local law enforcement agencies to coordinate efforts to prevent underage drinking, educate students of legal drinking age how to be responsible and safe party host and enforce current laws that discourage both drinking and driving, and alcohol consumption by minors.

These efforts include:

• A "Wanna Party?" brochure that provides information on how to serve alcohol responsibly, deal with intoxicated guests and be a good neighbor, as well as what to do if a party gets out of control. The brochures were distributed at freshmen orientation and are being provided to managers of large apartment complexes near campus. Student behavior data collected for the Safer California Universities Study by the Prevention Resource Center indicates that the majority of student drinking problems are generated at house and apartment parties where most drinkers are underage, rather than at bars and restaurants.
• Undercover or "decoy" operations at stores that sell alcohol to ensure they are not selling to minors.
• Party patrols in neighborhoods to identify and intervene in out-of-control party situations.
• An increase in the number and frequency of DUI checkpoints near the campus to discourage drunken drinking.