Proposal would toughen law on underage drinking

Two recommendations in a Missouri legislative proposal addressing underage drinking have area law enforcement officers looking forward to more effective methods of enforcement and prevention.

If the proposal is adopted during the session that starts Jan. 5, law enforcement officers will be able to use more discretion in a variety of circumstances, said Trae Mitten, coordinator of Judicial Affairs at Southeast Missouri State University.

Currently it is illegal for minors to attempt to buy, buy or possess alcohol. One recommendation would allow misdemeanor charges against minors visibly drunk or possessing a detectable blood alcohol level.

"We do think that consumption should be considered possession," said Sharee Galnore, coordinator of the Safe Communities Program at the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

In the case of a house party, all minors need to do is set their drinks down before an officer spots them. If no one is caught possessing alcohol, officers can only break the party up.

"Most of them don't care if they get sent home or have to leave," Mitten said. "They'll just go someplace else."

In the same case, all property owners need to do is claim they did not provide the alcohol, said Scott City Sgt. Dave Leeman, then the officers are burdened with investigating the claim until it is proven either way.

Another legislative recommendation would make it a misdemeanor for property owners to knowingly allow minors to consume alcohol on their property even if they did not provide it. The change would hold parents accountable to their teenagers' behavior, Leeman said.

"We still have seen some [parents] who feel it's OK to let their kids drink because it's at their house and they think it's safe," Galnore said.

Funded by a three-year grant, the Safe Communities Program cooperates with local entities, such as hospitals, schools, law enforcement, youth organizations and parent groups, to educate minors about laws on alcohol use.

"You cannot educate people without the law," Galnore said, "and you cannot enforce the law without education."

Though underage drinking occurs in every city or town, Scott City has seen a decline in cases in recent years, Leeman said, who attributed the drop to consistent punishment by prosecutors and judges. Also, the small size of Scott City has allowed DARE officers to develop relationships with teens.

"They see you as a friend and not an enemy," Leeman said, "not as someone who is out to get you."

jmetelski@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 127