In St. Johns County, The Party's over (Underage Drinking)

From the St. Johns County Sheriff's website:
http://www.sjso.org/partysover/partysover.aspx

Dear Citizen,

We want to share with you a major concern we have involving the health and welfare of our teenagers in St. Johns County. Our concern involves underage drinking and the proliferation of "house parties" many of which occur with knowledge on the part of some of our parents.

Every year we lose teenagers in traffic crashes and on occasion alcohol is involved. While the issue of underage drinking, open house parties and adults providing alcohol to our teenagers may go unnoticed on any given weekend, it cannot be ignored. The Sheriff’s Office has been addressing this problem for many years but we need your help.

In response to this issue we at the Sheriff’s Office and the School Board, along with The PACT (Prevent-Act-Change-Together) Coalition, will begin an educational awareness and enforcement campaign to reduce these numbers. The goal will be to gain willing compliance from establishments which sell or serve alcohol, as well as from all adults who host teen parties. Further, we will continue to check establishments to ensure they are not selling alcohol to minors.

Only when our entire community and youth work together can underage drinking be reduced in St. Johns County, making it a safe and healthy place for all residents, young and old.

If we can save the life of one of our teenagers we can consider our efforts worthwhile. Please join us in this countywide effort to help our young people. “The Party Is Over” because the loss of any child is one too many!

Sincerely,

David B. Shoar, Sheriff of St. Johns County

Click here to download the St. Johns County Sheriff's Spring 2009 Community Watch Magazine.