Wednesday, September 9, 2009 8:37 PM CDT
Charleston police step up alcohol patrols to thwart underage drinking
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — As Eastern Illinois University’s fall semester begins, Charleston’s population increases due to the influx of students and so does the Charleston Police Department’s workload.
Police Chief Bryan Baker said increased overnight patrols during the first two weekends of the semester resulted in approximately 300 people being cited for city ordinance violations, most commonly purchase/acceptance of alcohol and possession of alcohol by someone under the legal drinking age of 21.
The police did not step up overnight patrols during the long Labor Day weekend, when many Eastern students returned to their hometowns, but another round of extra patrols is scheduled to start tonight. These patrols initially include Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
City Attorney Brian Bower said the high volume of alcohol-related ordinance violations is common during the first few weeks of the fall semester as freshmen celebrate the freedom of being away from their parents’ supervision and upperclassmen celebrate reuniting with their friends.
Baker said demonstrating early on that the police will enforce city ordinances helps make the rest of the year easier, including reducing alcohol-related personal injury fights and property damage.
“That is why we try to really get the message out at the beginning of the semester,” Baker said, adding that the safety of students is a priority.
The police chief said the vast majority of Eastern students do not cause problems for law enforcement. He said the police are generally able to reduce and then discontinue their extra weekend patrols by mid-October after the weekend of Eastern’s homecoming.
Bower said said his case load peaks in October and November as the alcohol-related citations from the beginning of the semester show up in the court system. He estimated that 85-90 percent of these offenders ultimately plead guilty.
First-time offenders charged with purchase/acceptance of alcohol by a minor have the option of taking a diversion class for $350 instead of paying a fine and court costs totalling $311, Bower said. Completion of this class enables them to keep the charge off their permanent record and to keep their driver’s license, he said.
Bower said the class, led by a police officer, teaches participants about the consequences of alcohol consumption. For instance, he said these young adults hear that alcohol use increases both consensual and nonconsensual sexual activity, which in turn puts them at risk to sexually transmitted diseases.
“We try to get pretty blunt in what we talk to them and educate them about as far as the many life changing events that could occur from what might seem like a moment of fun,” Bower said.
The city attorney said groups of 40-45 participants take the 4 1/2-hour diversion class on Saturday mornings in the basement of City Hall. He said goal of the class is to help participants make better choices, reduce the case load in the court system, and reduce the number of repeat offenses.
“We don’t see as many second offenders among people who have gone through the program,” Bower said, adding the EIU Office of Student Standards has been working closely with the diversion program.
Bower said the city deals mostly with first-time offenders, but does see a “significant number” of second offenders. Fines and court costs add up to $660 for a second offense of purchase/acceptance of alcohol by a minor, for example, and $1001 for a third offense.
Comptroller Heather Kuykendall said the city budgets every year for ordinance fines being a revenue source, but the expenses associated with alcohol-related ordinance enforcement are far greater.
“It still does not come close to breaking even, let alone making a profit. It doesn’t make the city rich,” Kuykendall said of revenue from fines. She added much of this revenue goes toward general salary and pension costs for the police department.
Kuykendall estimated the city’s expenses for police overtime hours increase by $6,000 to $8,000 in late August and in September each year. She said the city also faces overtime expenses for secretaries who process citation and diversion program paperwork.
Baker said the overtime that police put in during the first part of the semester also results in increased gasoline costs as well as wear and tear on the patrol cars. As a side note, Baker estimated the city spends $10,000 a year replacing street signs stolen near campus.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 238-6861.
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Mike P wrote on Sep 9, 2009 10:51 PM: