Plainsboro teens may soon want to think twice about holding keg parties while their parents are away for the weekend. An ordinance up for introduction at Township Committee on Wednesday, March 12, would give police the authority to enforce underage drinking laws on private property.##M:[more]##
If passed after introduction and public hearing, the township would join neighboring municipalities, including West Windsor, that have similar ordinances. Current laws only permit police to enforce underage drinking on public property, like schools, Chief Elizabeth Bondurant says.
“We’ve had problems with underage drinking parties, and really had no legal action to take, so this gives us another course of action,” Bondurant says. “Hopefully, we’re going to prevent these parties by having the ordinance, not just enforcing after the fact.”
The ordinance would give police officers the power to investigate the parties and hold underage participants as well as those hosting the parties responsible. That includes the power to actually charge the participants involved in these parties if they are found in possession of, or consuming alcoholic beverages, on private property. Currently, the police can only issue summonses if the drinking takes place on public property.
Under the proposed township ordinance dealing with private property, violations would not show up on a minor’s criminal history. And the penalties for underage drinking charge vary. The first offense is a $250 fine and rises to $350 for subsequent offenses. Bondurant says, though, that the municipal judge hearing the case also has authority to potentially issue a six-month license suspension.
“A license suspension is where you hit the teenagers the hardest,” Bondurant says. “It’s the first liberty they have. If you take that away from them, it inhibits their social life.”
Still, she says, police aren’t trying to infringe on anyone’s individual rights and liberties, but rather are “trying to prevent a potential tragedy or problem that involves underage drinking.”
It also doesn’t mean that police will be barging into someone’s house. If police receive a noise complaint and have probable cause, or believe there is an emergent situation, they can enter a residence, she says. That is determined on a case-by-base basis, she added.
And “in no way are we trying to infringe upon the rights of residents who may allow their children to drink for ceremonial purposes or religious purposes,” she added. “This is not to interrupt the family picnic,” but rather to target the unsupervised underage drinking that is occurring.
In fact, the resolution exempts minors from being charged if they are consuming the alcohol “in connection with a religious observance, ceremony, or rite, or possession or consuming an alcoholic beverage in the presence of, or with the written permission of such person’s parent, guardian or relative who has attained the legal age to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages.” It also exempts those that possess the alcohol in connection with preparing food while enrolled in a culinary arts or hotel management program or with employment.
When asked if underage drinking parties are a frequent problem occurring in Plainsboro, Bondurant said: “We have our share, but it’s not more or less than any other town.”
Bondurant says the police department brought up the suggestion to the Plainsboro Township Committee, specifically since other municipalities already have similar ordinances. “To be the one that doesn’t have it might be inviting problems,” Bondurant explained. “The kids know who has what laws.”
But police hope the benefits from having the ordinance in place are two-fold. “Another benefit of this ordinance is to hopefully reduce the number of impaired drivers on the road,” Bondurant said. “If there are young people traveling to and from this party, most of them will be in cars.”
“Prevention is key for us,” Bondurant added. “We’re very active with educating young drivers about the dangers of drinking and driving.”
Plainsboro Budget on Agenda. A presentation on Plainsboro’s 2008 budget is on the agenda for the Township Committee’s meeting on Wednesday, March 12. The Township Committee could vote to introduce it that night.
Township Administrator Bob Sheehan said that he, along with the township’s auditors, will be making a presentation about what is in the budget and the township’s financial situation. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m., he said. If the Township Committee, which has a chance to ask questions about the proposed budget, is comfortable at the end of the presentation with the information it received, the committee members can vote to introduce the budget that night.
If the committee does vote to introduce it, a public hearing and adoption can be held at the committee’s meeting on Wednesday, April 23. Sheehan said he preferred to wait until the presentation before he discusses any of the information contained in the budget.
