Police Chiefs Warn About Hazards of Underage Drinking

Earlier in July, Franklin Lakes Police Chief Joe Seltenrich stressed the seriousness of underage drinking and the consequences for both children and parents involved. With kids home from college, high schools closed and the warm weather, summer is an opportune time for underage parties.

"Because kids are home from college, this is just more prevalent," Seltenrich said. "But the danger associated with these types of parties is the same all the time."

Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin Fox agrees, the summer increases opportunities for underage drinking and parties.

"During the summer you can be outdoors, it's easier to find places to go and drink," Fox said. "There are wooded areas kids will sometimes hang out and drink at."

With greater opportunity, comes a greater risk for these children and their parents. Many times, teenagers do not have much experience with alcohol, and being in situations like these parties can become dangerous, he said.

"If someone of a real young age drinks to excess, they don’t know how to deal with it and don’t understand sometimes that too much is too much," Fox said. "They get caught up at a party and over drink."

Alcohol consumption can lead to health issues and hospitalization, especially among children lacking experience with drinking.

"Nationwide there are young adults that die every year from this. Alcohol is a depressant and starts to shut down you system, your body and liver can't process it," Fox said. "We fortunately haven’t had anyone die from it but on average two to three a year go to the hospital because they are so intoxicated that are immobile."

These parties have the potential to get way out of hand, Seltenrich said.

"It presents a potential for very serious consequences when you get a group of young people together," he said. "I can attest to the fact that over the years a lot of times these gatherings grow into something else where they become uncontrollable, they affect neighbors, fights occur, we’ve had ambulance calls transporting for alcohol, sexual assaults, and they get out of hand very easily in many cases."

In addition to the physical and emotional wear from underage drinking, there can be criminal and civil consequences for the children and parents involved.

With the increased risk for underage consumption of alcohol in the summer, both the Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff Police Departments have taken further action to prevent these dangers.

In the summer time, Fox sends additional officers out to areas the police department has found kids often hang out in.

"We know where the kids gather and we have officers get out on foot and check these areas to try and catch the kids in the woods drinking," he said. "It’s something that we deal with all the time, we take it very seriously, whenever we catch someone underage we charge them."

Seltenrich has implemented a "Zero Tolerance" policy for underage drinking violators in Franklin Lakes. When the party becomes unruly and affects the neighborhood, the police give a first intent for violating the law, and sign complaints against the party goers if they are participating in illegal activity.

"We have no problem with people together and having a good time, if they're doing it legally," he said. "But the drinking age is 21."

Sentenrich's main goal is to protect the peace and safety of the community, he said. He has no problem giving individuals who break the law and disturb the peace a first intent, or charging the parents involved.

"Parents can be charged with allowing the parties to take place," Seltenrich said. "It depends if they had knowledge of alcohol being served, they can be charged with providing to underage persons."

Adults can be charged both criminally and civilly if the situation is applicable.

"You have an incidence and somebody gets hurt, or a sexual alligation, and parents can be held accountable not only criminally but also civilly," he said. "They can be sued in civil court, it is there responsibility, they own the property, they're supposed to monitor what happens."

Franklin Lakes also has a borough ordinance against public drinking, if the alcohol comes outside the residence and into the neighborhoods.

"This isn’t something parents want to allow anyway, they really want to be on top of this," he said.

Seltenrich and Fox believe that educating parents helps diminish this growing problem.

"I think what parents need to do is be aware of what their young children are doing and if there are gatherings, parents should make sure there isn’t alcohol present if the kids are underage," Seltenrich said.

There are also dangers of alcohol use, even in the absence of parents. Parents need to make sure these kinds of parties are not taking place, even when they're away, he said.

Fox believes many parents are naive about what their children do in their absence. Informing neighbors of their absence, and chekcing on their homes while away can help parents prevent underage drinking before it starts, he said.

"We’ve told parents time and time again the hazards of leaving somewhat underage individuals at home alone when they go away," he said. "Many parents think they can trust their kids, but kids have been known to take advantage of situations."