Underage
Drinking: Success Stories
Rhode
Island
– February
28, 2002
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of Problem
Strategies More
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With
support from the OJJDP Enforcing the Underage Drinking Laws Initiative,
community organizations, enforcement agencies, youth, and other concerned
citizens are working collaboratively to change local ordinances and
enforcement practices.
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In Newport , RI , Police and Retailers Take the Fakes
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Police
in Rhode Island, have developed an innovative program designed to get fake IDs out of circulation. Called ?Identification Seizure,? the program has taken more than 800 fake IDs off the street.
Newport
is a seaside town of some 24,000 year-round residents. In summer, this
balloons to more than 60,000 as tourists and students flock to local
beaches. Newport
is popular with college students, due to its laid-back lifestyle and
reputation for alcohol availability. This popularity has fostered a
problem with underage drinking in the town. In discussing the problem with Newport
police, bar owners noted an increase in minors using fake IDs to procure
alcohol. Recent technological advances?such as the Internet and cheap
color printers?have caused an explosion in the creation and distribution
of fake identification. Although bar owners have prevented the use of fake
IDs in their own establishments somewhat, they could not confiscate the
IDs and did not engage the police.
Identification Seizure, the brainchild of Officer Kevin Parsonage
and others, sought to remedy this by encouraging bar owners to cooperate
with police. When an establishment employee suspects an ID might be a
fake, he asks that person to wait until a police officer arrives to
investigate. Usually, the patron will abandon the fake ID and flee. If the
customer does wait for the officer and the ID is subsequently found to be
false, the officer issues a citation of up to $500 dollars.
The program was first implemented in summer of 2001; in three
months, more than 400 fake IDs were collected from only five bars. To
date, the program has netted more than 800 fake IDs from underage patrons.
According to Officer Parsonage, the first challenge in implementing
the program was convincing bar owners to call police officers to their
establishments, an action generally considered ?bad for business?.
Unfortunately, bar owners did not feel comfortable asking for help from
local police, and believed that having an increased number of
calls-for-service would hurt them when it came time to renew their liquor
licenses. Officer Parsonage worked with the owners to alleviate their
concerns and secure their participation.
Once convinced that it was actually good for business?that a
proactive attitude will reduce emergency calls?the bars joined the
program with enthusiasm. With support from Chief Charles Golden,
Identification Seizure has expanded from five to nearly fifteen bars, with
others clamoring to join. Officer Parsonage has invited all local
establishments?about 130 in total?to a workshop on the program this
March.
Public awareness is also an
important part of the Identification Seizure program, and Officer
Parsonage describes the media response as ?sur-prising.? With just a
few phone calls, the program has generated sustained interest, and local
newspapers and television stations have done repeated stories on the
extent and success of the program.
Identification Seizure
is part of a broader effort to reduce underage drinking and
alcohol-related crime. Since its inception,
Newport
has seen significant decreases in assaults, disorderly conducts, and
felony arrests; Officer Parsonage describes the positive results as
?overwhelming.? and says the programs have ?improved the quality of
life throughout the city.? As
he puts it: ?We may never
know how many lives we have saved. . . .?
For
more information, contact Officer Kevin Parsonage, Newport Police
Department, at 401-847-0686.
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