Borough Police officials are evaluating the legality and feasibility of their recently proposed effort to combat underage drinking in the eating clubs, Capt. Charles Davall said in an interview Friday.
"If [underage drinking] is going on in a public place — like the sidewalk or parking lot — we can act. When it's happening in a private club, we can't just go in," Davall said. "We'd have to be invited in or have a public safety concern."
Borough Police officials, however, are not likely to be admitted to clubs voluntarily, Davall said. This hurdle prompted police to consider undercover investigations, which could involve the participation of underage University students, Davall said.
"All of our officers are over 21 and are allowed to consume alcohol," Davall said. "We'd have to have someone under 21 get invited in the club and go with the officers."
Once legally inside the club, the police officers would be able make arrests should they witness any illegal activity.
Police would be able to charge anyone who serves alcohol to a minor. Should sufficient evidence exist, additional charges could be brought against club officers and any person acting on behalf of the eating club for allowing the illegal activities to be conducted.
Both of these offenses are disorderly persons offenses, Davall said. "If someone is convicted of a disorderly persons offense, there is presumably less than six months jail time or just a fine," he explained.
Should alcohol violations persist in a particular eating club, police can charge that club with "maintaining a nuisance." Conviction of this offense could result in the club being closed for up to one year. Personal property and club equipment found on the premises could also be seized if deemed to contribute to the nuisance.
The proposed police initiative to more actively enforce underage drinking laws comes in the wake of last fall's alcohol ordinance, which has been tabled indefinitely by Borough officials.
"This investigation — like the intent of the ordinance — is another tool," Davall said. "But there are other things we have to consider."
The proposed police crackdown — which is still in its early planning stages — was prompted by a perceived increase in alcohol-related activities by University students in the eating clubs, Davall said.
"[Borough officials] were talking about alcohol-related events — the seventh intoxicated kid at PMC and the second sexual assault," he said. "It just came to a head."
No decisions regarding the proposed effort have been made, Davall said. "We're still considering all of our options."
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