Underage drinking easy for many students

By Max Rotham

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

More than 11,000 students in Lawrence are under the legal drinking age. Weekend after weekend, Lawrence police officers are finding out that many of these students don’t seem to care.

“There is a higher density of individuals who are under the drinking age that are drinking,” said Sgt. Steve Lewis of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Now the sheriff’s office is taking further action.

The sheriff’s office will hire three more school resource officers to fight underage drinking, Captain Dan Ward said. These officers plan to confront the source of the underage drinking: the alcohol vendors.

Lawrence has 68 drinking establishments, 23 liquor stores and 36 off-premises cereal malt beverage retailers (not for consumption on the licensed premise), such as supermarkets and convenience stores. Many of these sites will soon endure heavy doses of compliance checks in an effort to filter underage drinkers.

“People don’t always consider the consequences of their actions,” Sgt. Lewis said. “There are consequences for breaking the law.”

Some students, however, find the repercussions to not be so bad.

“They basically just give the owner and whoever is causing a ruckus a hard time,” Sarah Cascio, Leawood freshman, said.

But a “hard time” could translate to hefty fines and­, in extreme cases of standard house parties, arrests

Other than in extreme cases, many underage drinkers seem to get by without a scratch. But police officers are busting parties regularly, and many students view it as just a buzz-kill.

“It definitely puts a damper on things,” said Jamie West, Overland Park sophomore. “A few kegs, a bunch of people, and all of a sudden the cops showed. Everybody chilled, and the owner of the house talked to them. No one else got in trouble.”

Others have made the officers’ visits into a weekly routine.

“If they weren’t busting parties, they wouldn’t be as much fun. It’s kind of that element of danger,” said Clint Wiseman, Ottawa senior said. “There’s safety in numbers.”

“With house parties, I think they’re kind of soft,” said Steven Dickherber, St. Louis freshman. “You don’t have much to worry about. It’s a college town.”

So while underage drinkers breathe easy, police struggle to find answers. Without visible proof of alcohol consumption, police can’t make arrests.

“I’ve never had a problem with a cop outside of a car,” Dickherber said. “Their only rule is don’t drive and you’re cool.”

Some students don’t take the police so lightly.

“Everyone kind of bolts when they come,” Cascio said. “I get scared of them. I don’t want to get in trouble.”

“I would be terrified and try to come up with an excuse or a lie,” Chelsea Currence, Leawood sophomore, said.

The sheriff’s proposal to combat underage drinking is in effect for 2009. But City Manager Dave Corliss has indicated that the money used for the proposal may need to be returned to the city’s general funds.

Whether the proposal sticks or not, students can be sure that police will stay on the hunt.

“The laws are there for a reason,” Sgt. Lewis said. “Bottom line, you know what’s right, so do it.”

— — Edited by Grant Treaster

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