Safer Campuses and Communities
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Businesses busted in alcohol sting
Agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control were in Chico Friday hoping to put an exclamation point on a new zero-tolerance stance toward alcohol abuse by Chico State University and local police agencies. Visiting 58 businesses throughout the Chico area, agents cited four of them for selling liquor to an underage ABC "decoy." The decoy was instructed to enter businesses and attempt to buy popular brands of alcohol - usually beer. Identification presented by the decoy clearly states the person is under 21, and in the case of minors used Friday it also stated they hadn't even reached their 18th birthday. "The word was out that we were coming to Chico," said investigator Robert Ferrar. "We were hoping that by the end of the evening we would have issued no citations." Written up for the violation of selling alcohol to a minor were clerks at Creekside Cellars Wine Shop and Tasting Room, Korner Market and Laundromat, J&J Foods and a Circle K convenience store operated by Vanella Oil. Fines can be as high as $3,000, Ferrar said, and such infractions can lead to suspensions of the businesses' liquor license. ABC officials said violations are documented by an agent entering the business and taking a photo of the minor, the liquor, and the employee who sold it. The minor then states in the presence of the agent that the clerk sold him or her the alcohol. Rather than confiscate the booze, it's documented and returned to the store. Also conducted Friday were so-called "shoulder tap" operations in which a minor decoy approaches an adult outside a business that sells liquor and asks them to make a booze purchase. Agents issued seven citations Friday - four of them unexpectedly to a minor with a fake ID who purchased beer for two other minors. While agents waited in a parking lot behind a 7-Eleven for a man who'd just bought beer for their decoy, another man approached two youths standing nearby and allegedly asked them: "O.K., which one of you wanted the 40-ouncer?" as he pulled beers from a bag. After checking ID's, agents cited two of the youths for being a minor in possession of alcohol, and the minor who bought the beer for purchasing alcohol, furnishing alcohol to a minor and possession of a fake ID. The three youths could face fines for the infractions and the loss of their driver's license for up to a year. ABC decoys also had adults purchase beer for them at three other Chico businesses. The adult violators face fines of up to $1,000. The decoy and shoulder tap operations were funded through a $178,000 grant awarded to Chico State to finance a number of efforts aimed at stemming alcohol violations and binge drinking. Up for discussion: Extra Enforcement Around Alcohol Back to top Local police departments have increased enforcement efforts for alcohol-related offenses as part of a continuing effort to help UC Davis students make better choices and reduce alcohol-related problems on and off campus. The UC Davis and city of Davis police departments stepped up enforcement beginning on the first day of classes and will continue those efforts through Halloween, with an emphasis on Thursday and Saturday evenings from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. UC Davis Police Lt. Matt Carmichael said the efforts include extra police patrols in the downtown and bar area, a designated police team to respond to complaints about loud parties, and bicycle officers mixing with students as they leave campus. As students return to campus, officers will be watching for open containers of alcohol and students who may have had too much to drink. Patrol officers, Carmichael said, are just looking to keep everyone safe. "This is the start of school and, for a lot of students, their first time away from home," Carmichael said. "This campaign is important at the beginning of the year as we are dealing with a lot of young adults who, for the first time away from home, may try alcohol. Not knowing their own limits can be very dangerous," he said, "and we are doing everything we can to ensure we avoid such things as alcohol poisonings." The increase in law enforcement related to alcohol use continues one of the components of the Safe Party Initiative begun at UC Davis in 2005. Part of a $6.9 million research project at 14 UC and California State University campuses, the initiative also shows students how to reduce alcohol-related risks at parties and fosters better relationships among students and their neighbors. One result of the effort is the Davis Neighbors' Night Out; the fourth annual event will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11. Already, more than 100 neighborhoods have signed up to host activities -- from potlucks to ice cream socials -- to help homeowners and student renters get to know each other. The idea is that when people know each other as neighbors, they will show each other more consideration. Enforcement as education "We're not singling out students," Glasgow said. "What we are trying to do is educate them on how to have a good time without all of the headaches that come with irresponsibility." One part of the fall enforcement push has campus officers accompanying freshmen as they walk off campus and into town at night. "We will be providing safe party tips and interacting with the students as they leave campus," Carmichael said. "We will continue through the night and address student safety as they walk back onto campus to ensure their safety, especially if they have been drinking." But if they have been drinking, they should beware. There is zero tolerance of alcohol violations on and off campus. Citations will be issued for open containers and minors in possession of alcohol. The Safe Party Web site highlights some legal consequences for alcohol-related offenses including fines, criminal and civil liability, and university discipline. It also provides information on the city's open-container ordinance and noise regulations.
Local police and state officials will announce today what they say are significant breakthroughs in curbing underage drinking, following more than $120,000 in grants aimed at decoy operations and increased patrolling this academic year. Since the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control began giving grants to Berkeley police in 2003, noncompliance rates among targeted businesses have fallen from more than 50 percent to below 20 percent, said department spokesperson John Carr. In August 2006 UC police received their first grant of $40,000, while the Berkeley Police Department received $84,300. Carr said the two departments have cooperated in minor decoy operations and increased patrols to crack down on businesses and adults furnishing alcohol to minors. Berkeley and UC police will join state officials in a press conference today in Downtown Berkeley to say that since the first Berkeley police grant in 2003 there have been 2,200 alcohol-related arrests, many of which were cite-and-release situations. Since June, the Berkeley and UC police departments have conducted decoy operations at a combined 124 sites, resulting in 672 citations. Twenty-four of those citations resulted in the offender being booked, Carr said. Berkeley police Officer Ed Galvan said the grants are essential because without funding dedicated to alcohol control, other police actions take precedence. “Neither UC or the city could afford to put many resources into this without the grants,” Galvan said. According to Karen Hughes, a health educator for University Health Services, the percentage of underage UC Berkeley students who said it is “easy” or “very easy” to purchase alcohol at nearby stores dropped from 30 percent in 2003 to 21 percent in 2005. Police and Alcoholic Beverage Control officials said they have sought to work with community and campus organizations while developing alcohol-control policies. “Everybody’s looked at trying to get more awareness,” said Joan Kiley, director of the Alcohol Policy Network, a prevention program based in Berkeley. “The community can make the city more accountable.” Students for a Safer Southside, a group of undergraduates who observe and monitor alcohol and drug-related activity, conducted surveys last spring to gauge whether students believed proposed alcohol-control policies would work. Fewer than 50 percent of respondents said they believed the policies would prove effective. Police are continuing decoy operations in Berkeley, including one tonight. In April alone, six restaurants or stores in Berkeley have been cited in minor decoy operations, according to a University Health Services report. The on-campus bar Bear’s Lair was cited in March when a minor entered and was served without presenting identification. The city of Berkeley police department and the UC Berkeley police department announced Tuesday that they are forming joint patrols to cruise the neighborhood. They hope that a coordinated effort will cut down on crime and public nuisance crimes. The new partnership, called the Joint Southside Safety Patrol, will pair a city cop with a university cop to travel in the same squad car on the south side of campus from 10 pm to 2 am Thursdays through Saturdays. There will be two squad cars dedicated to the effort. More officers will be out on the streets before and after Cal home football games. In the past, people living in the area who wanted to report a crime sometimes called both the city and the university. “This plan responds directly to our community’s desire for a safer and more civil Southside neighborhood,” Vincent Casalaina, past-president of the Willard Neighborhood Association told UC Berkeley News Service. “I am especially pleased that the city police dispatchers will be able to route calls from Southside neighbors directly to both the UCPD and BPD officers already in the vicinity and allow them to respond more quickly to problems.”
“Our focus is on making the Southside safer and more enjoyable for students and longtime residents, who live side by side,” UC Berkeley Associate Chancellor Linda M. Williams told UC Berkeley News. She also chairs the advisory council.
Safe Party Initiative to Temporarily Increase Police Patrols The Safe Party Initiative was unveiled to Davis on Tuesday at a university news conference, and as part of an effort to curb student misuse of alcohol, police increased evening patrols beginning Thursday night and will continue tonight. The increased patrols will be in effect Oct. 6, 7, 13 and 14, and four yet-unannounced nights in November, according to a university press release. The initiative is the brainchild of a coalition consisting of the Davis Police Department, the UC Davis Police Department, the Davis City Council, university and student officials and Davis residents. It grew out of concerns of tension between student residents and non-student residents in regard to increasingly rowdy parties, according to Councilmember Don Saylor. The amount of alcohol-related altercations, said Davis Police Chief Jim Hyde, has been on the rise. He attributes this in part to modern communication technology, which lets partygoers contact friends quickly. “Text messaging gets [non-Davis residents] into town fast,” Hyde said. “These people don’t have a relationship with the community.” He noted that conflicts arise because of this environment with a greater variety of people. Hyde said the spring of 2004 riot at Sterling University Vista Apartments was particularly enlightening for police operations. A scuffle that erupted between police and partygoers resulted in injuries to an officer and a UCD graduate student. He added that having police tied up at such parties pulls the department away from other incidents in the community. The DPD and the UCDPD are working together in patrolling, but enforcement is only one tool of the initiative, he said. “It’s a wonderful partnership with great potential for the students.” Other than increased patrols, there are two more prongs to the campaign, said Dr. Michelle Famula, director of the Cowell Student Health Center. The first is an educational effort to raise awareness about the dangers of irresponsible drinking. This hinges on a new website, safeparty.ucdavis.edu, which is hosted by the health center. “[The website] is a central resource for students about things like laws and ordinances,” Famula said. She added that the health center will further publicize the website to the community. The second commitment is building better relationships between student and non-student neighbors through community activities. “This way, if a party is getting out of control, neighbors contact neighbors instead of police,” Famula said. The first organized community gathering is scheduled Saturday in the Oeste Manor neighborhood, which lies north of Russell Boulevard, south of Rutgers Drive, and between Anderson Road on the west and Oeste Drive and South Campus Way on the east. ASUCD Senator Thomas Lloyd said the root of the problem of increasing tension between student and non-students is the lack of official on-campus housing for organizations like fraternities and sororities. Such groups are dispersed throughout Davis where they have their parties in houses near families, he added. “[The initiative] is completely ignoring the problem and using Band-Aids to fix it,” Lloyd said. The event will serve as a pilot for future functions that are aimed at improving rapport between students and non-students, said Saylor, who also serves on the City-UCD Student Liaison Commission. “We’re bringing incoming students as a sort of a welcoming,” he said. “The idea is to get all of the residents to get to know each other and exchange numbers if there is ever a problem.” MATT SIMON can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com.
Party hosts can be held responsible for underage drinking at their parties under a new policy that some students say could lead to unsafe circumstances, approved by the Berkeley City Council Tuesday. The change is one part of a package of revisions to city alcohol and party policies proposed by the Berkeley Alcohol Policy Advisory Coalition, a resident group aiming to limit the negative effects of alcohol consumption in the city. Several UC Berkeley students, including three representatives from the Greek community, told council members the policy will not be effective in reducing underage drinking and could be unfair to hosts who unwittingly admit minors to their events. Partly in response to these concerns, the council amended the ordinance to hold only “knowing hosts” responsible. The new ordinance adds to the current practice of administering fines to those who directly provide alcohol to minors in an attempt to limit uncontrolled parties, Berkeley police Officer Ed Galvan said. Hosts of parties where alcohol is available to minors will face a fine of $250 to $10,000 when the change is put into effect in mid-March. In a 2004 study by Safer California Universities, 49.8 percent of underage UC Berkeley students reported that they had consumed alcohol in the 30 days preceding the survey. Councilmember Kriss Worthington, who was the only member to vote against the ordinance revision, said there had not been enough student input in the policy. Greek community representatives told council members that while they support and make efforts to prevent underage drinking, they believe the ordinance and other proposed changes will harm already-delicate student-police relations and have unintended repercussions on student partying. But Mayor Tom Bates said the policy will help prevent out-of-control parties because hosts will be more cautious. The council put off voting on several other proposed changes, which could also impact student parties. One of the changes would make hosts who receive warnings after preliminary violations face a longer probation period, which would be lengthened from 60 to 180 days. Additionally, fines for parties in violation of noise or capacity codes could increase from $500 to $750 for the first violation, from $1,000 to $1,500 for the second and from $1,500 to $2,500 for the third. Kenan Wang, vice president of risk management for the Interfraternity Council, said increasing the probationary period would unfairly penalize house residents for the actions of previous tenants. “The life cycle of most of these student living situations is a semester, which is four months,” he said. “If a fraternity or co-op gets a (warning), the next semester, an entirely different group of people could get a fine based on what a previous group did.” Wang said Tuesday’s revision and the other proposed changes could make students less likely to call the police or fire departments when a significant problem arises, like if there is an excessively intoxicated person or there are unwelcome attendees disrupting the party. “If we don’t feel we can rely on the police, then that’s when people take things into their own hands,” he said. “That’s when fights happen. That’s when people get hurt.” Councilmember Linda Maio said she is worried about worsened relations between student groups and the police, but said past incidents have indicated the need for a strong policy. “It hasn’t left a feeling that we want to have a velvet glove in this situation,” she said. Police say they are unsure what to expect for Labor Day weekend after a recent increase in violations Kourtney Jason Posted: 8/30/06 Students are buying booze, renting tubes and hoping to float, while police are suiting up, hopping on horseback and getting ready to keep Labor Day weekend safe. Chico police Sgt. Dave Barrow said extra police will work Friday to Monday. Officers will be looking for alcohol violations and give out citations for driving under the influence, minors in possession of alcohol and public drunkenness. They will look for open parties and cite for noise and violations of the second-response ordinance, police said. The second-response ordinance applies to parties that don't break up after a first warning or noise citation is given by police. It was first enforced in September 2005. A noise violation can carry a fine up to $1,000. If the second response at the same location is within 72 hours of the first, an extra fee can be charged, up to $1,000. Police will set up a DUI checkpoint Monday afternoon. A location has not been announced but will be made public before the holiday, Barrow said. Barrow thinks some students will respect police during the holiday weekend, but police have seen increased violations lately, he said. "We think the responsible people will get the word, but that is yet to be seen, with all the violations," he said. Those violations include an Aug. 19 party where police had to dodge bottles while getting control of a large crowd, he said. And on Aug. 25, two officers on horseback, multiple officers on bike patrol and a few patrol cars came to disperse a party on Ivy Street between Sixth and Seventh streets. Jim Parrott, one of the officers on horseback, said police are trying to prevent crowds from forming because that is where problems occur. Many people don't realize how serious Labor Day is for the officers compared to other party holidays, such as Halloween or St. Patrick's Day. "Halloween is a six-hour problem," Parrott said. "But Labor Day is a three-day problem." Some students don't think the partying has created such a problem for the police. Junior Alicia McMaines said she enjoyed her Labor Day celebration two years ago at Beer Can Beach on the Sacramento River. This year, she and her friends are planning a camping trip at the rope swing on the Feather River. The police have ruined the Sacramento River for the holiday, she said. "The cops overplay everything," she said. "They should regulate a little bit, but I haven't heard of anyone dying on the river." McMaines was walking to Third and Oak streets Friday night to see a friend's band play at a party. After McMaines and her friends had been talking for a few minutes, an officer on bike patrol asked them to keep walking because he didn't want any crowds to form. "What kind of Labor Day will this be if we can't even talk to someone on the corner for five minutes?" McMaines said after the officer left. Some students think there will always be trouble between students and the police. Sophomore Carter Burgess did not celebrate Labor Day last year and was not sure of his plans this year, he said. He lives on Third and Ivy streets and often sees parties busted by police, he said. He understands the police and their duties but knows students have some responsibility, too. "Police need to (regulate) because it's Chico, you know?" Burgess said. Kourtney Jason can be reached at kjason@theorion.com
A broad-based coalition of UC Davis student leaders, administrators, law enforcement and health professionals, joined by city of Davis residents, elected officials and law enforcement Tuesday launched a multi-pronged "Safe Party Initiative" to target high-risk drinking throughout the greater Davis community.
Also speaking at today's news conference were Judy Sakaki, UCD's vice chancellor for student affairs; Davis City Councilman Don Saylor; Davis Police Chief Jim Hyde; and Caliph Assagai, president of Associated Students of UCD. Joining them were numerous other coalition members representing the campus, the city, Davis neighborhoods, Davis Campus Community Alcohol Coalition and the City/UCD Student Liaison Commission. "UC Davis has a commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and the campus community," Sakaki said. "We will work in partnership with others to minimize the potential detrimental effects of high-risk parties." The new Safe Party Initiative is supported by a five-year, $6.9 million grant to the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley from the National Institute for Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse aimed at reducing high-risk drinking on college campuses. As part of the research effort, the PRC has asked UCD and five other schools to develop and implement effective strategies to reduce high-risk drinking and the consequences of that drinking, including violence, injuries, property damage and car crashes. Representatives of the UCD and city of Davis communities have been meeting for months to devise and implement the most effective strategy specifically tailored to the needs and concerns of the greater Davis community. They relied to a great extent on UCD campus data that has demonstrated that off-campus parties are the most significant high-risk drinking environment for students. Indeed, a survey released earlier this year of 1,010 UCD undergraduates reported that roughly one-third of all their alcohol-related problems occurred or were instigated at off-campus parties held at private homes and apartments. In the study, alcohol-related problems included alcohol poisoning, unsafe sex, sexual assaults, other aggressive behavior and driving drunk or riding with a drunk driver. According to the survey results, the alcohol problem looms even larger when community bars, off-campus fraternities and outdoor settings are included. "We are not against parties; we are against problems," said Saylor, the Davis city councilman. "Students are a welcome part of our community and we all need to be respectful of the lifestyles of each other. We all live together here in one community. There are adjustments necessary on the part of students to be respectful of the neighborhoods they live in, and our neighborhoods also need to make adjustments to welcome students into the fold." At the same time, Assagai, president of ASUCD, stressed, "Most UC Davis students are not high-risk drinkers. And as students who live in Davis, we enjoy its security and we support the Safe Party Initiative to help keep this community safe." To help keep the Davis community safe, new 20-member joint UCD and Davis police weekend alcohol safety enforcement patrols will commence this Thursday, and continue on Friday, Sept. 30, Oct. 6, 7, 13 and 14 and then four additional nights in November to be determined later. Hyde, the Davis police chief, said law enforcement is focusing its efforts now because local crime statistics indicate that the incidence of driving under the influence, alcohol poisoning and sexual assaults peaks in the first few weeks of the fall quarter. "Students who find themselves having a party that gets out of control can take control by calling the police before someone else does," Hyde said. "Breaking up your own party can save you a lot of money and problems later on. It's the best way to protect yourself, your neighbors and your guests.
During the first six weekends of fall quarter, the Davis Police Department and UC Davis Between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night until Nov. 6, two "We just want make sure that everybody is safe and put out the message of zero tolerance for The most common tickets issued during this period are for fighting, public intoxication, open "What we've noticed is a reduction in problems, not an increase in arrests," Bates said."Our Though the increased presence is primarily intended to address issues in the downtown area, "This increase usually lasts six to eight weeks," Bates said."If we feel like we need to extend Surveys conducted by the Health Education and Promotion Program- which is also "[The first six weeks are] sort of an education period," Bates said."People that patronize the "We are able to develop a lasting relationship with the local businesses that is more The Safe Party Initiative is a collaborative effort between the city of Davis and the UCD CHARLES HINRIKSSON can be reached at campus@californiaaggie.com Tuesday, August 29, 2006 Welcome to Cal and to the city of Berkeley. UC Berkeley is located in a densely populated community, which requires residents to be sensitive to the needs of others living around them. We believe that UC Berkeley students are some of the most socially aware individuals in the nation and want to be sure that you are aware of local ordinances that may impact activities in your living area. Like you, we were once UC students and we understand that students have a lifestyle that includes late-night schedules, hard work and long hours of study, group living arrangements, and group social activities. It is important for students to respect the rights of others living near the campus. The residents of Berkeley and the campus administration expect UC Berkeley students to be good neighbors, to uphold community standards and to comply with all university, city, state and federal regulations and laws. A student who violates city, state or federal laws can be subject to civil or criminal penalties and may threaten his or her standing as a UC Berkeley student. Both the city and campus police departments can be utilized to educate students about the laws and safety precautions that govern the city of Berkeley. However, there are a few specific ordinances and laws that all students should be aware of. The city and university work together to reduce underage and binge drinking. The city strictly enforces all state laws relating to underage drinking, use of false identification, public possession of open containers of alcohol and public drunkenness. A citation under these statutes can result in the loss of your driver's license, fines and other penalties. When a UC student is cited for violating a law or ordinance within a one-mile area around the campus, the Berkeley Police Department routinely informs the UC Police Department and the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. Depending on the offense and the student's prior conduct, this can result in an official warning or more serious disciplinary action by the university, in addition to any penalties the city may impose. Berkeley has an ordinance concerning large parties (over 10 persons) that create a public disturbance. After an initial warning, if within 60 days the city police respond to a second complaint at a particular address regarding a large party that creates a public disturbance, the resident and/or the property owner may be subject to a $500 fine. If a third response is required within 60 days, the penalty increases to $1,000. When you host a party, you are responsible for the welfare of your guests and their behavior during and, in some cases, after the party. There are simple steps you can take to make sure you have a safe and successful event. Check out the Web site at partysafe.berkeley.edu for tips before you plan to host a party. We ask that you strive to be a good neighbor as you live here in Berkeley and hope you will enjoy all of the benefits of this great community. Go Bears! Doug Hambleton is the chief of the Berkeley Police Department. Victoria Harrison is the chief of the UC Police Department. Reply to opinion@dailycal.org.
The Chico Police Department is cracking down on unruly parties this semester, enforcing the "one and done" rule. In the past, students who host house parties have received warnings before they are shut down or given a citation. This year, Chico police will be employing a different strategy. The rule states that police will shut down a party if either an object is thrown at an officer or if there is an act of violence, a press release said. It also continued to say that police will make pre-party contacts whenever possible in order to ensure that hosts have an understanding of the rules. "In the past we haven't really proactively tried to get that message across," Chico police Sgt. Rob Merrifield said. "We always just kind of dealt with it." Merrifield hopes that this rule will help regulate open house parties and discourage hosts from allowing parties to get out of control and violent, he said. "We don't want to be driving around shutting down parties," Merrifield said. "That's the last thing we want to do." While the police department seems enthusiastic about its new motto, many students are having a much different reaction. "We are in college, not in high school," said Carissa Kellogg, a junior English education major. "It's kind of over the top." "It will probably change the way I go out and I will be more careful with who I bring with me," Kellogg said. The strict policy may cause more problems, said Mitch Bloomfield, a junior criminal justice major. "If they want to get rid of parties it will be effective, but it's not going to make students any happier," Bloomfield said. "I guess they are going to have more riots like they used to." While some students can see it being effective, others don't think it will make any change in the downtown party scene at all. "I feel like they are going to be wasting their time with this because there is just going to be more parties replacing the other ones that are shut down," said Kayla McCabe, a sophomore recreation major. Merrifield thinks that guests are usually the cause of most open house party problems, he said. What the police are hoping for is to not ruin students' fun, but for them to be smart and to police their o "It's fun to have an open party where anybody can show up," he said, "but that's where the bad things usually happen." Raquel Royers can be reached at rroyers@theorion.com Berkeley, Cal Double Up Against Excessive Partying Back to top After a decade of searching for ways to curb wild weekend parties in off-campus housing around UC Berkeley, a partnership between the educational institution and local law enforcement may have arrived at a solution. Berkeley now has a Party Patrol. Every weekend from Thursday to 2 a.m. Sunday, two patrol cars carrying both a UC police officer and a Berkeley police officer patrol the streets south of the Cal campus ready to respond to violence or party behavior spilling into residential neighborhoods. To ensure its presence was felt - and to establish a tone for the rest of the academic year - the police patrols were a constant presence in affected neighborhoods during the first three months of the school year. The coordinated efforts of two law agencies create a significant problem for any student caught up in the enforcement effort because not only are university and city police sharing information, they're also riding together in order to bring the house down on violators. While "Animal House"-style behavior gets you sent to the dean's office in the movies, at Berkeley, binge drinking or losing control of yourself or your party is no longer considered a harmless, sophomoric shenanigan. "What has caused the most problems for residents is off-campus housing, and it's what brought town and gown together to establish a community standard," said Caleb Dardick, director of local government relations at UC Berkeley. "We can no longer just say these are kids being kids." What began as an escalation in wild parties on Cal's Fraternity Row about 10 years ago became a problem that engulfed the surrounding community. In May 2005, UC officials imposed a ban on alcohol at all fraternity-sponsored events. Off-Campus Move "There was a lot more binge drinking and public drunkenness in places where it hadn't been seen before, and when the alcohol ban pushed parties into the community - and away from campus - that's when all hell broke loose," said Phil Bokovoy, a 26-year resident of the neighborhood. Since then, the university has taken a different approach to the problem, said Karen Hughes, coordinator of Cal's Party Safe program in its heath services department. "The traditional alcohol education model wasn't working, and there was a shift in the focus from looking at it as an individual choice (to) making it a community problem and looking for communitywide strategies," she said. Bokovoy believes stricter enforcement, a constant police presence and swift action and consequences from university officials have grabbed the attention of the 12 to 15 percent of the student body who qualify as hard partiers, according to university estimates. That's because with increased enforcement comes greater risk for both civil penalties and university disciplinary action, he said. "There's nothing quite like the cops showing up at a party with 50 people inside, another 50 people outside and broken beer bottles everywhere, to straighten things out," he said. UC 'Paying Attention' So far, it seems to be working. Since August, officers have responded to 135 calls for service and issued warning citations 79 times. Only eight violators have been issued second citations, which carry a mandatory $750 fine if issued within three months of the original citation. For the same period in 2008, police responded to nearly 400 calls and issued 72 warning citations. But at a time when most Americans live in or near large urban population centers, and in cities like Berkeley, where NIMBY laws appear periodically, there's not enough room or patience for those kinds of parties anymore. Chip Johnson's column appears in The Chronicle on Tuesday and Friday. E-mail him at chjohnson@sfchronicle.com.
Cal Poly students who consistently drink are largely doing it off-campus at private homes or apartments. More than half of them are underage, and many of them admit to binge drinking. A survey in the fall of Cal Poly students also shows that the number of students binge drinking in a two-week period-- which translates into five or more drinks for males and four or more drinks for females at one time - is about 39 percent. Although the number of students who admit to binge drinking has fluctuated by 10 percentage points in the past six years, it has never dropped below 39 percent. It appears to have essentially remained the same, despite efforts by the university. "When looking at this data, we would have hoped for a bigger drop in binge drinking" given all the programs that the university has long had in place, said Marty Bragg, director of health and counseling services at Cal Poly. Since 2004, the number of students who admitted to binge drinking in the two weeks before being surveyed went from 39 percent to nearly 50 percent in 2005, and then dropped in slow increments back to 39 percent in 2010. University officials are optimistic that relatively recent ordinances adopted by the city of San Luis Obispo and more focused efforts by Cal Poly will help reduce students drinking excessively. The 2010-11 survey is part of a larger study funded by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to identify effective tools in preventing heavy drinking by college students. Each fall semester, the online survey is given to about 1,000 undergraduates. Cal Poly is one of 14 campuses in the University of California and CSU systems participating in the Safer California Universities study by the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley. The survey was initiated at campuses in 2003. In 2005-06, specific prevention methods and interventions were introduced at half of the campuses. Researchers then compared the results there to those colleges without the interventions and found that the interventions decreased the number of students drinking to the point of intoxication at off-campus parties -- the predominant problem at most colleges -- by 9 percent. Cal Poly was one of the seven college campuses that did not initially receive the interventions, which included nuisance party enforcement, minor decoy operations, social host ordinances and DUI checkpoints. The laws include steep fines for people who host parties where minors drink; double fines for violations such as nudity, public urination and possession of open containers of alcohol in public places on known party holidays; and fines to hosts of parties of 20 or more people that create a substantial disturbance. Overall, "the findings we have give us optimism that intervention will be effective," said Rick McGaffigan, program director of the Prevention Research Center. "We assume that colleges doing the same preventions that have worked at other campuses will have the same results." At Cal Poly, Bragg said the survey information is used by administrators to help track prevention techniques and determine where funding should be spent. "The target for all of our messaging is not abstinence -- it is binge drinking," he said. "Instead of trying to come up with clever posters or motivational speakers, we are trying to address high-risk drinking and its outcomes." Studies have linked excessive drinking by college students to death, injuries, assaults and sexual assaults - making binge drinking a top concern at colleges nationwide. "Alcohol is the bane of university communities across the nation," Bragg said. "That said, we also know that drinking is normative behavior with students coming to college expecting that a large part of their experience will be drinking and socializing." Bragg said partnering between the city and the college is an essential component. Efforts now include partnering with the San Luis Obispo Police Department and the CHP to do several DUI checkpoints, including some on campus, and party patrols. Minor decoy programs are also in place. The university also put increased effort into educating students about the various laws focused on excessive partying and noise -- such as placing 5,000 door hangers in surrounding neighborhoods notifying students of the laws and placing ads in the school newspaper. "What we do know from campuses is that the more visibility they had and the more enforcement they promoted -- the more dosage if you will -- the higher the effect," McGaffigan said. "More is better." The data from the survey, Bragg said, has driven the university to better focus its prevention efforts. "It is my belief that this kind of community effort is really critical because you can't educate kids out of alcohol abuse -- it is just too much a part of their conceptualization of what college life is about." 58% of those who consumed alcohol in the past 30 days were underage. (1)TRIBUNE GRAPHIC BY JOE TARICA - BINGE DRINKING AT CAL POLY Each fall, the Safer California University Study polls about 1,000 Cal Poly students on their alcohol and drug use. The level of binge drinking has remained pretty consistent in recent years, except for somewhat elevated numbers in 2005 and 2006. SOURCE: 2010-11 Safer California Universities Study
CHICO - In a sting operation Thursday, three businesses in the north Chico area licensed by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control sold liquor to minors, but 11 others followed the law. Under the supervision of ABC and Chico police, minor decoys entered stores and attempted to purchase a specific type of liquor. If asked, they produced identification which clearly showed they are under 21. Clerks or owners who sold liquor to minors face minimum fines of $250 and/or 24 to 32 hours of community service for a first violation. In addition, ABC may take administrative action against the liquor license held by the businesses. The enforcement effort is covered by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
In January, UCI Police held its first sobriety/driver's license checkpoint on campus as part of the university's new push to promote safety and prevent alcohol abuse. Here, Officer Christopher Bolano chats with a motorist. Like many universities, UC Irvine has some students who engage in binge or underage drinking, driving under the influence, and other alcohol- and drug-related behaviors. And like any concerned family, it's launching an intervention - on a campuswide scale. To promote students' sobriety and safety, the UCI Health Education Center and UCI Police Department have joined forces to implement the Safer California Universities grant project. Leigh Poirier Ball, associate director and program liaison at the Health Education Center; Jeff Hutchison, assistant police chief; and Sgt. Anthony Frisbee recently discussed the campus's new prevention measures:   Q: What kind of alcohol- and drug-related issues are you trying to address?Hutchison: We've had cases of binge drinking and all the problems associated with it - assaults, fights, injuries, graffiti and other acts of malicious mischief. Unfortunately, UCI also had one death - when an intoxicated 18-year-old student walked onto the 405 Freeway and was killed. If we could eliminate all injuries due to binge drinking, that would be a huge step forward. Frisbee: Pre-parties are a serious problem. When there's a major event like Shocktoberfest or a big game, students will drink a lot beforehand. They may not be carrying alcohol, but it's obvious they have it in their systems. Students also drink in the dorms, which is prohibited if anyone under 21 is present. Poirier Ball: Another area of concern is prescription drugs; students can misuse and abuse them. Q: What is UCI doing to discourage these risky activities? Q: What are some of the new enforcement measures? In addition, the department created a program called Safe Onto Sober because we wanted a place other than jail for students legally considered too intoxicated to care about their own safety or the safety of others. Frisbee: We sometimes find juveniles who show objective signs of intoxication - unsteady gait, bloodshot eyes, very loud behavior. They might not meet the legal criteria for being drunk in public, but they've been drinking. Hutchison: With SOS, we can take individuals to a holding cell at the Newport Beach orHuntington Beach police departments, where they're monitored for several hours while they sober up. Officers also issue an administrative citation that requires each subject to attend the Health Education Center's alcohol education program. Before SOS, our only option was to arrest those legally drunk in public or leave them with a responsible friend or UCI housing staff member. Poirier Ball: The program is also available to staff, faculty or any other UCI community member. If your friend or guest has had too much to drink but you don't want to get them in trouble, you can contact the UCI police. They'll assess whether the person needs medical attention or should be detained in an observation area. It's not about busting people; it's about helping and educating them. We want to keep people safe. Q: How does the Health Education Center handle students referred through Safe Onto Sober? Q: What's the long-term goal of these new measures? Frisbee: These students don't have a lot of experience with alcohol. We're trying to prevent them from getting into trouble so they can have a successful career here at UCI. - Kathryn Bold, University Communications
The ordinance would allow police who deem parties of 20 or more people too rowdy to fine the owner $700 on their first offense and $1,000 if they are cited again. Police would also be allowed to administer additional fines to underage drinkers. San Luis Obispo Police Chief Deborah Linden said multiple complaints, interference with traffic flow and overflowing crowds are all factors police will take into account when deeming a party an “unruly gathering.” She also said attendees who are urinating in public, vandalizing property, littering, causing fights or are drunk in public are all subject to additional fines. Linden pointed out that the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program (SNAP) would not be allowed to issue fines, and noise violations would not be issued on top of an unruly gathering fine. She also said if the host calls the police when a party is becoming overcrowded, they could avoid fines. “Noise violations are contended for smaller gatherings and the larger for substantial disturbances,” said police Lieutenant Tom DePriest, who presented with Linden. Some differences between the “noise ordinance” and the “unruly gathering” ordinance are that no warnings will be given to the rowdy crowds of more than 20 people, the fines are twice the amount of those of the “noise ordinance” and a community service option will not be offered to those who violate the “unruly gathering ordinance.” “After seeing a decline in citations, we want to encourage that behavior,” Linden said. Property owners who rent to students will also be given a two-week grace period to deal with tenants and will be fined $500. “We are trying to encourage good behavior so we don’t have to go through it a second time,” Linden said in regards to holding homeowners responsible for the actions of their tenants. She said the motion was not an attack on the student population but on “unruly gatherings,” no matter the group’s age. Only six students spoke during public comment, four of whom were members of Associated Students Inc. ASI president Kelly Griggs who spoke last, asked all audience members who were students to stand up. Only 11 students were present; nine were members of ASI. All of the comments by students commended the council staff, with whom they worked on the ordinance and applauded them for eliminating a policy that would allow homes that received a violation to be tagged. “I think it’s hard because they switched around the time, but I think we have had an invested group of students looking into it and who spoke tonight,” Griggs said. “We tried to get them to look at the bigger picture of noise and unruly gatherings.” When asked about working with ASI to find a solution to the party problems, Linden described them as fabulous. “ASI under Kelly Griggs and the focus group they created were extremely helpful and provided great feedback, and their voices made a more effective product,” Linden said. The council is also considering creating a curfew for those under the age of 18, increasing patrolling on occasions that officials expect may get out of hand, such as Mardi Gras or St. Patrick’s Day and punishing property owners whose properties continue to receive complaints, fines and incidents surrounding parties in the community. The council will have a final vote on the “unruly gathering ordinance” on April 20, and if approved again, it is expected to go into effect at the end of May. |
Lt. Matt Carmichael of the UC Davis Police Department (Karin Higgins/UC Davis)
Steve Zylius / University Communications
