Full Notification

NEWTON POLICE RECEIVE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL ENFORCEMENT AWARD

Newton Police Chief Howard L. Mintz is pleased to announce the Newton Police Department has received a federal grant award in the sum of $ 9,954.67 to help combat underage drinking in the City. This past December the Department applied to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Office of Grants and Research, Highway Safety Division for grant funding under the FY 2014 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Program. The Department was recently notified that our grant application had been chosen for funding along with 76 Massachusetts police departments.

The Newton Police Department will be using this grant funding to substantially increase enforcement of the laws dealing with the illegal procurement of alcohol by minors. Between now and September 30, 2014, plainclothes officers will be deployed at various times and locations to conduct enforcement and prevention activities to combat underage drinking in the City.

Plainclothes Officers will be assigned to retail business establishments licensed to sell alcoholic beverages in an effort to deter the purchase of alcohol by minors and to deter adults from purchasing alcohol for minors.

In cooperation with business owners and store management, teams of undercover officers will be
deployed at bars, restaurants and retail establishments that serve and/or sell alcohol to monitor for people under the age of 21 who attempt to purchase alcohol or who use or possess false identification. Plainclothes officers may be posing as store employees conducting identification checks both inside and outside of the establishments.

Surveillance, both inside and outside of establishments will be conducted to watch for adults purchasing alcohol for minors and for carloads of young people purchasing alcohol for others or for possible underage drinking parties. Officers will be deployed to those areas of the City that have been known to host underage drinkers and will also be conducting party patrols looking for underage drinking parties throughout the City.

Additionally, the Newton Police Department will be conducting Compliance Checks of businesses licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. Officers will be working with persons under the age of 21 who will be sent into local retail stores, bars or restaurants to attempt to purchase alcohol with no identification. Several Officers have recently received specialized training by the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission in underage alcohol enforcement and in identifying fake or altered identification cards. These officers will be assisting in grant program activities.

Enforcement action, including arrests, for violation of alcohol laws will be encouraged. All fake or altered identification cards will be confiscated and prosecuted when possible.

The Newton Police Department hopes these increased enforcement activities will have a positive impact in reducing the availability of alcohol to minors and the subsequent problems associated with underage drinking.

For additional information on this program, please contact Detective Captain Paul Anastasia at
617-796-2104.

This grant program is funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security