The Amherst Police Department, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts Police Department and other local and state agencies, will be ramping up alcohol patrols as more people head outside to enjoy the weather.
This month, the APD used a $10,000 grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Program and overtime pay to escalate patrols on underage and public drinking in the hopes of putting a damper on a time of year generally noted for its revelry.
From March 27 to April 17, the APD implemented a program called ‘Badges in Bars,’ where, for the first time, uniformed police officers were placed outside
During the program, officers visited every bar in town, standing with bouncers to check IDs and arresting those with fake identification for possessing false IDs and potentially, for being minors in possession of alcohol.
The program, explained Capt. Scott Livingstone, was implemented along with a group of other programs the APD has utilized for some time. Livingstone said the APD would also be conducting drunk-driving enforcement this spring, keg licensing enforcement, ID checks at liquor stores and ‘a few other alcohol enforcement initiatives.’
Livingstone furthered that the department would use its reserve overtime funds in the final weeks of the semester to conduct extra patrols in what he called ‘known problem areas.”
‘Over the next two weekends ‘- May 1 and 2 and May 8 and 9 ‘- we will be using department funded overtime and have the entire department scheduled to proactively patrol known problem areas [such as] Hobart and the Townhouse Apartments,’ he said.’
‘This is something we have done for the past 10 years or so,’ Livingstone added, explaining that ‘we have requested additional state police patrol units to be in town as well.”
Livingstone said the APD hopes students will enjoy themselves as summer nears, but cautioned students to party responsibly, explaining that, ‘We will be marking arrests for those found in violation of the laws, open container, underage, noise by-laws ‘- to name a few.’
Amherst Police Lt. Jennifer Gundersen, who was in charge of overseeing the ‘Badges in Bars’ program, said the program was prompted by ‘our concerns about underage drinking, specifically binge drinking, that endanger the safety of our younger community.”
Gundersen said the program was a success because bar owners want help keeping underage people out of their bars to avoid fines. Police feel stationing officers at and around bars will have a deterrent effect, added Gundersen.
‘The bars appreciated us assisting them combating the widespread use of fake IDs,’ she said.
‘We have criminally charged several persons with possession of a false ID. We believe that our presence in the bars will deter others from attempting to gain entry to a bar unlawfully.’
Students, however, say the new measures will do little to reign in their end of the semester activities.’
‘It’s not going to stop anyone from partying,’ said freshman Chris Constantine. ‘There are always cops out looking for kids drinking, kids are just going to have to be ready to run,’ he said.
Fellow freshman Julie Coughlin agreed, stating that she felt some students might tread more lightly than usual, but that she doubted the police would seriously curb any student activity.
‘Kids are probably just going to be more low-key about it, like carrying it in a bag instead of a water bottle,’ she said. ‘I was at a party last weekend and the cops came and they basically just walked around back with flashlights trying to scare people away, no one I saw got arrested.’
On whether the ‘Badges in Bars’ program would be effective, Coughlin had similar feelings.
‘I don’t think it will stop people from going to bars. My friends and I still go and never have any problems,’ she said.’
Sam Butterfield can be reached at [email protected].
