Party Patrol Kits for Cumberland County Cops

The Cumberland County Underage Drinking Enforcement Task Force held a press conference on Wednesday, May 19, 10:00 Portland Police Auditorium to announce the release of their 2010 Party Patrol Kits.

The press conference was to highlight law enforcement efforts in our communities to keep youth drug and alcohol free. The fact that representatives from every law enforcement agency throughout Cumberland County attended demonstrates their commitment to enforcing underage drinking laws.

The intention of these kits is to aid law enforcement response to the scene of an underage drinking party, and help them to investigate the source of the alcohol and who was in control of the property. The real crime is furnishing alcohol to minors or furnishing a place for minors to consume alcohol. Yes, we want youth to face age-appropriate consequences for their actions, but adults should know better and therefore are the real targets of criminal investigations.



Our message was to let parents know law enforcement is looking out for their child's best interest. Underage drinking is against the law-and for good reason. Those who begin drinking by the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop some type of alcohol use disorder in their lifetime. Those who begin before the age of 17 are twice as likely.

Furthermore, youth who believe they will not be caught by the police for drinking alcohol are 4 times as likely to drink. This points to the powerful prevention role of law enforcement.

These kits are the result of that collaboration within our own task force as well as the sharing of ideas and resources between the CCUDETF, the Androscoggin County Underage Drinking Enforcement Task Force, and the Maine Office of Substance Abuse. Credit for the investigative checklist goes to the Androscoggin Task Force. Maryann Harakall of the Maine Office of Substance Abuse researched and compiled the list of items for the party patrol kits.

For copies of the investigative booklet, contact Jo Morrissey.

CCUDETF supplied the following items in the kits:

• PBT's (breathalyzers)
• White boards & markers
• Cameras
• Underage Party Investigation Booklets with investigative questions and techniques to ensure the smooth and safe response at the scene.
• Flashlights
• Binoculars
• Extra batteries for the PBT, camera, and flashlight

Additional recommended items to be supplied by each department include:

• Drug detection kit
• Bullhorn
• Flex cuffs/handcuffs
• Latex gloves
• Miranda warning cards
• Processing forms (juvenile & adult)
• Citations
• Evidence forms
• Clipboards
• Transparency covers
• Tape recorder
• Extra tapes
• Pencils
• Highlighters
• Black pens
• Sharpies
• Water bottles
• Energy bars

Present at the conference were:
CCUDETF Chair, Jo Morrissey
Officer Donald McCormick, Bridgton
Chief Neil Williams, Cape Elizabeth
Chief Joseph Charron, & Lieutenant Milton Calder, Cumberland PD
Chief Deputy Kevin Joyce CCSO
Chief Edward Tolan, Falmouth PD
Chief Gerald Schofield & Officer Mike McMannus, Freeport
Chief Ronald Shepard, Gorham
Asst. Chief Michael Sauschuck, Sargent Charles Libby, and Officer
Ray Ruby, Portland
Chief Robert Moulton, Scarborough
Chief Edward Googins, Officers Robert Scarpelli, South Portland
Lieutenant Nugent, Westbrook
Chief Richard Lewsen and Sargent William Andrews, Windham
Lieutenant Dean Perry, Yarmouth

Additional speakers included Asst. Chief Sauschuck, Portland; Chief Googins, South Portland; Lt. Nugent Westbrook; Chief Deputy Kevin Joyce CCSO; Chief Lewsen, Windham.

We got some fantastic coverage from Portland Daily Sun, Wednesday, May 19, page 3, Channel 8, Channel 6, Channel 13/Fox 23, and Portland Press Herald.

The CCUDETF is convened by 21 Reasons with funding from the Maine Office of Substance Abuse that is contracted to us by the Healthy Maine Partnerships. The Task Force is made up of every law enforcement agency within Cumberland County in order to help facilitate cooperation around enforcing underage drinking laws.

Prom and Graduation Season Tips for Parents

Time to Talk has some great tips for parents during prom season:

Time for Prom and Graduation? Time To Talk with Your Teens

Prom season is fast approaching, and for many teens, this time of year offers a taste of new freedoms and the temptation to engage in risky behavior. A new study of 11th and 12th grade students from across the country shows that teens don't recognize the dangers of driving on prom and graduation night, even though they recognize their peers may be more likely to drink on these occasions. Nearly all of the students surveyed, 90 percent, reported that their peers are more likely to drink on prom night and 79 percent reported the same for graduation night. Despite believing that their peers are more likely to drink during prom and graduation, only 29 percent reported that they believe driving on prom night is dangerous, while 25 percent said the same for graduation night.

The study surveyed over 2,500 students and was conducted by ORC Guideline for Liberty Mutual and Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).

What You Can Do to Help Keep Prom Goers and New Graduates Safe?

To keep celebrations safe and healthy, here are some helpful tips and advice for parents and caregivers:

Know Your Teens' Plans and tell them to update you if the itinerary changes so you're aware of their whereabouts.

Check In With Them Via Text - they are more likely to reply, since it's discreet. You can send messages like "Hope ur having a gr8 time!" or "U OK?" before and after the dance.

Trust Your Teens and resist the urge to hover. You've filled them in on the rules and the risks - chances are they got the message.

For more ideas visit the Time to Talk website, or 21 Reasons' parent page.

Prom Photo Contest, $500 Grand Prize

21 Reasons, with the help of Tim and Eva in the Morning on Maine’s Coast, 93.1, is announcing a “best” prom photo contest—with a cash prize of $500 to the most awkward, uh, winner!

Wow, Times Have Changed, and for the better. Thank goodness underage drinking is going the way of big hair, ruffled shirts, and bad fashion!

To celebrate the fact that underage drinking rates in Portland have been declining since 1995, 21 Reasons, an underage drinking prevention coalition, is sponsoring a Prom Photo Contest. Why? Since underage drinking can harm the developing brain (which actually stops developing at the ripe old age of 25!), this decline in drinking rates is cause for celebration!

Who can enter? Anyone over 29 can enter, because anyone 29 and older was in high school before 1995.

How do I enter? Go into the attic and find your most awesome prom photo, then go to www.21reasons.org and follow the simple directions. It’s so easy even a baby boomer can do it.

What can I win? There are two ways to win! The first 21 photo entries will receive a $10 music download card. The photo with the most votes will receive $500!

HOW do I win? When your photo is posted online, 21 Reasons will send you a link to it. You send the link to ALL your friends and family, and then they can vote for your photo as the best! On-line voting opens up April 12th. Photos posted as they come in until then.

Why should I participate? Not only is this a fun contest with amazing prizes, but spreading the word about how “times have changed” will help parents, and everyone else, realize when it comes to underage drinking we’re headed in the right direction. There are more statistics and information below.

Overview:
• Accepting photos for two weeks between March 29th and April 11th.
• On-line Voting begins April 12th and lasts one week until April 19th.
• Winner Announced Tuesday, April 20th. LIVE Tim and Eva in the Morning on Maine’s Coast, 93.1- WMGX.
• Winning photo to be used in a Prom and Graduation season reminder card to be distributed through area participating tux, florists and limousine companies. The cards will be distributed with each boutonniere, corsage, or limousine contract. Messages on the card will remind parents that most youth don’t drink and that parents can and do have the power to enforce underage drinking rules.



Additional Information:

According the Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey, most youth don’t drink. In fact, only 28% say they have had a drink in the past 30 days. That’s down from almost 40% in 1995. In addition, a recent Parent Phone Survey sponsored by 21 Reasons revealed more Portland parents are concerned about underage drinking and taking concrete steps to prevent it. This includes:
• talking with their teens about alcohol
• asking if alcohol will be at parties
• calling party hosts to make sure alcohol will not be provided

Due to modern brain scanning technology, we know more now than ever before about the harm underage drinking can cause the developing brain.

Together, we are making underage drinking a thing of the past…just like those tacky prom dresses.

For more tips and information, visit: http://www.21reasons.org

Local Heroes

Liz Blackwell-Moore, Project Manager from the Communities Promoting Health Coalition at PROP, was on Channel 6 this weekend, talking about their new youtube video and how to prevent underage drinking.

Click the picture below to view the video:

Prom Season Prevention

WMTW Channel 8 reports on prom-season underage drinking prevention efforts in Portland: