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Cops to focus on underage drinking |
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Saturday, 06 March 2010 |
By JON BAKER
EAST PROVIDENCE --- If you're one of those people who see minimal harm in purchasing alcohol for minors, or a teen-ager with a fake ID card just itching to quaff a case of beer with “buds,” you'd better think twice before tempting your fate.
Members of the East Providence Prevention Coalition, the city's police department and Chris Gasbarro – owner of Chris Gasbarro's Fine Wine & Spirits – have joined forces to combat such occurrences. Last Friday, the trio announced it will initiate two programs over the next few weeks, including “Cops in Shops” and “Project Sticker Shock.”
Gasbarro, Police Chief Joseph Tavares and Sgt. John Andrews spoke on behalf of both plans.
Evidently, Gasbarro helped spearhead the “Cops in Shops” event with an unknown monetary “gift” (though suspected to be hefty) to EPPC Executive Director Jennifer Wall and Compliance Coordinator Michelle Kollett, both East Providence High graduates.
“Chris, who's a member of the coalition board of directors, approached us about a year ago and said he wanted to institute the 'Cops in Shops' program,” Wall stated Tuesday. “He had done something similar years ago, and he currently does it in his own stores. This guy is crazy – but in an amazing way.
“He'll come to coalition meetings with a briefcase filled with posters, educational materials, etc.,” she added. “He's adamant about curbing, eliminating, underage drinking, and he's an owner.”
Simply put, “Cops in Shops” will consist of two undercover police officers – one posing as an employee at one of the city's nine liquor stores, the other will remain outside in an unmarked cruiser to monitor happenings called “shoulder taps.” (That is, when a teen discreetly asks an adult to “pick up” a case of barley and hops for him/her).
“From 2000 to 2007 – our most recent data from the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals – East Providence ranked third statewide for serving minors at package stores, restaurants, clubs, etc.,” Kollett revealed. “Our city failed on 35 percent of compliance checks, and even Providence and Pawtucket didn't have a percentage that high. That's not something to be proud of.
“We received news of that percentage in late 2007, and we knew we had to take action immediately,” she added. “We wanted to mobilize the community, and we did that by forming a campaign entitled 'Townies Putting the Brakes on Under-aged Drinking.' That included media, policy and enforcement strategies/efforts.
“Since then, we've had an ordinance enacted by the City Council, which has the liquor store owner, not just the one who served alcohol, held accountable for disobeying the law.”
With help from a federal grant (called Strategic Prevention Framework Incentive), worth $162,000 per annum for three consecutive years, coalition officials decided the No. 1 priority for prevention in East Providence was targeting teen-age drinking.
“Because of that grant, I invited Chris to a meeting; I had never met him before, but we hit it off, and that's when the wheels started turning,” Wall offered. “The grant is non-renewable, and we do have to produce results from our programs if we want to pursue other federal or state grants. If we want money, we have to prove we've been doing things right.”
Noted Kollett: “The city's percentage of serving minors has dropped from 35 percent between 2000-07 to only two percent in 2009. The reason that happened: All of the media, policy and enforcement efforts we've put into place with police and Chris.”
That number still isn't good enough for Wall, who stated emphatically, “I want zero percent! I think that's achievable.”
Kollett wanted to commend all nine (Class A) package stores in the city for two continuous years of passing alcohol compliance checks,” so invited them to a luncheon at City Hall (Room 306) on Feb. 26, the same date as the “Cops in Shops” kickoff event.
Four representatives from those nine shops attended – including McGreen's Fine Wine & Spirits on Willett Avenue in Riverside, Jordan's Liquors on Taunton Avenue, Barrington Liquors (owned by Gasbarro's parents) on Warren Avenue and Brookfield Liquors on North Broadway.
They received congratulatory certificates from City Council member Valerie Perry, and Kollett promised she'd hand-deliver the remaining five.
“Through meetings, the coalition has been able to offer 15 free-of-charge responsible beverage service training classes to any employee who works at an East Providence establishment, or anyone just living here,” Kollett revealed. “These (Class A) liquor license holders have come to take what we're trying to do, and what we're trying to teach them, very seriously.”
As for the “Project Sticker Shock” campaign, the approximate 25 members of D.I.C.E. Advocates – an acronym for Drug Intervention Community Education – will travel to the city's package/liquor stores and strategically place 35,000 stickers onto six-, 12-, 18-, 24- and 30-pack beer cases.
The sticker, created by talented EPHS student Kellie Knight, reads, “Providing liquor to a minor is illegal, unacceptable and unhealthy.” In essence, it's a warning that police are ready and more than willing to arrest those who don't heed that warning.
“Those advocates, all from East Providence schools, will be divided into groups, and each will have an adult chaperon,” Kollett explained. “They will enter the package store and place them on those boxes. Naturally, the goal is to reduce under-age drinking by reminding adults it's illegal to purchase alcohol for anyone under 21.
“The turnabout in the East Providence liquor store owners' attitudes and perceptions of the coalition has been remarkable,” she continued. “Over the past couple of years, they've come to realize we're there to help them. Then again, they're helping us because they are, in fact, the final line of defense in blocking alcohol purchases to minors.”
Wall herself became a D.I.C.E. Advocate as a EPHS senior in 1998. She also stated she became serious about chasing a career in prevention following the tragic death of former standout swimmer/student-athlete Scott Gorham in Providence in 1998.
“That made me passionate about the work I do, and it also made me realize that under-age drinking in East Providence is a serious issue, and it often gets brushed under the rug,” she noted. “Ignoring the problem, that won't make it go away. People need to be educated on the best ways to remedy it.”
Kollett mentioned her educational background led her to become the coalition's compliance coordinator.
“I used to work in the field of medical research, and the last study I was involved with at Women's & Infants Hospital was dealing with opiate-addicted pregnant women,” she said. “When this job became available, it was really a natural transition. I'm very proud to be working with organization, though I've only been doing this six months. The coalition has been doing phenomenal work since 1988, and it will continue to do so.”
Stated Wall: “'Cops in Shops' and 'Project Sticker Shock' actually are national campaigns, and I think both can and will be extremely effective. The reason: I believe they involve the community, and those are people who can get others to buy into the idea. Let me tell you, those D.I.C.E. students have taken the project and run with it.
“They're excited about being part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 14 March 2010 )
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