So far this school year, police have cited 79 people for underage drinking around Oxford, 8% less than the number of people from the same period last year
According to Lt. Adam Price, OPD employs a number of methods to crack down on this issue.
“We have a comprehensive approach,” Price said.
While not on a set schedule, police will often walk through bars to spot underage drinkers, as well as perform ID checks inside the bars. Sometimes police do compliance checks on anyone who sells alcohol—not just bars. Whether it be retailers, stores or gas stations, the police say they work hard to make sure that businesses are checking for IDs.
Occasionally, Oxford PD works with Ohio Liquor Control who comes into town with agents who address issues with establishments or help police out with large events on campus.
However, Price says there is one common factor that outweighs all else when it comes to the enforcement of underage drinking.
“It is the people who draw attention to themselves,” Price said.
Whether someone is vomiting, passing out, urinating on something outside or carrying an open container—these are the patterns that cause officers to enforce underage drinking citations the most.
“There is already a reason to address them,” Price said. “Most of the time the underage charge is paired with an additional charge for something else.”
This is exactly how one Miami student was stopped by police his freshman year.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, was out at the bar with his friends on the first weekend of his freshman year. He and one of his friends walked out of the bar with an open container in hand and police almost immediately stopped and cited them for underage drinking, open container and possession of a fake ID.
“It was so stupid looking back on it,” he said. “I was caught up in the moment, and this town feels like you are in an invincible bubble, especially as soon as you get here.”
He said he doesn’t remember the exact amount of money that he was fined, but he knows it was a lot. The fines for these kinds of charges can cost thousands of dollars if they stack up, and even more if you want them expunged from your record.
Although it’s possible for some students to develop a negative view of police if they receive citations, Lt. Price wants to foster a positive relationship with young people in Oxford. OPD does community outreach through initiatives like “coffee with a cop” or through social media.
“We are not trying to be enemies,” he said. “We try to work with [young people] and educate them at the same time.”
Lt. Price wishes that more students understood the risks of underage drinking. He says age is associated with drinking for a good reason.
“You can hurt yourself, you can end up a victim of a crime,” Price said. “Your situational awareness is not where it needs to be.”
“Just be smart,” Price said. “Take care of each other and do not let somebody get impaired to the point that they cannot take care of themselves.”
