Redlands police are planning party patrols to crack down on anticipated underage drinking this week when thousands of teens graduate from Redlands High, Redlands East Valley High, and Citrus Valley High.
The mayor and police chief sounded off Monday to underscore efforts to address underage drinking and binge drinking in Redlands.
"Underage drinking is a major threat to the health and safety of Redlands youth," Mayor Pete Aguilar said in a statement June 3. "In addition to drinking and driving, which is a major cause of death among teens, underage drinking has been linked to a host of other serious problems including reduced academic performance, sexual assaults, unintended pregnancies, fights, and violence."
About 5,000 people under age 21 die each year nationwide as a result of underage drinking, Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said. The casualties include about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicides, and hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drowning, Baker said, citing the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
"We now have the Social Host Ordinance as a tool to combat underage drinking and related problems," Redlands police Chief Mark Garcia said. "If you are thinking about letting youth at your graduation party drink alcohol, we have a message for you: Don't. We are enforcing the Social Host Ordinance vigorously."
The city council approved the social host ordinance in January. The ordinance holds hosts responsible for alcohol consumption by people under age 21 at their parties.
Violators of the ordinance are subject to fines ranging from $100 to $500, city spokesman Carl Baker said. Repeat violations can result in additional fines that include costs incurred by law enforcement, fire and other emergency service providers.
Graduations in Redlands this week include Redlands East Valley High on June 5, Redlands High on June 6, and Citrus Valley High on June 7.
Baker says Redlands police are planning five nights of party patrols to crack down on underage drinking at house parties, from Tuesday June 4 through Saturday, June 8.
"This is part of a collaborative approach to curb the problems related to binge and underage drinking in Redlands in order to achieve a safer, healthier community for our youth," Baker said.
School officials also know this is not their first rodeo. Citrus Valley High administrators have issued the following pre-graduation statement:
"All persons in the Redlands Bowl are expected to conduct themselves with C.L.A.S.S. All seniors are expected to behave in a manner befitting the occasion. If there is any suspicion that a senior has been drinking or is under the influence of drugs, he/she will be removed from the ceremony immediately."
The legal drinking age in California is 21.
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