Brownsville Police Department participates in MADD Tennessee’s “Night of Compliance”
Teen access to alcohol through illegal purchases at alcohol retail establishments and safety on Tennessee roadways was the focus of compliance efforts held July 23- 24, 2010. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Tennessee and law enforcement agencies in Union City, Fairview, Fort Campbell, Brownsville, and Shelby County partnered to conduct compliance checks, DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols.
RESULTS:
Department # Checked/Stopped #Sold/Citations
Union City Police Department 10 7
Fairview Police Department 37 10
Fort Campbell 1010 vehicles 6
Brownsville Police Department 15 0
Shelby County Sheriff’s Department 20 10
“MADD Tennessee commends all of our partners who participated in this year’s Night of Compliance,” says Laura Dial, MADD Tennessee State Executive Director. “This year a couple of communities have come to light as examples of why we need tighter controls on the sale of alcohol to youth. It is frightening to think that in some communities 50% to 70% of establishments will sell to minors. This is why every community must organize a coordinated plan to eliminate youth access to alcohol.”
Since the 21 Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed on July 17, 1984, all states have laws prohibiting persons under age 21 from purchasing or possessing alcohol beverage products. However, it is still legal for someone under age 21 to consume alcohol in 14 states.
“MADD supports the 21 law because it saves young lives and protects young minds. It is laws like these that help keep alcohol—the No. 1 drug choice among the nation’s youth—out of the hands of those it hurts the most”, says Sonya Manfred, Program Specialist, MADD Tennessee.
“The fact of the matter is, for those under 21 to get their hands on alcohol, someone over 21 has to provide or purchase it for them. Unfortunately, this is commonplace because underage drinking is seen as a rite of passage,” says Manfred
“While we have made great progress in reducing teen drinking and driving over the past 21 years, it still remains a major threat to teens today,” Manfred says. “It’s not OK to just tell our kids not to drink and drive. The message to all teens is not to drink at all until age 21.”
On average, teens begin drinking alcohol at age 16. Extensive research on the development of the human brain shows that it continues to develop through the early 20’s. The studies show that alcohol use impairs teens’ learning abilities, memory and development, and invites the early onset of addiction and other alcohol-related problems that can carry on throughout their lifetime.
The Brownsville Police Department conducts compliance checks monthly. This continued enforcement encourages proper sales by local stores. “Several store managers give their employees bonuses when they pass compliance checks,” says Lt. Barry Diebold of the Brownsville Police Department. “These things combined make alcohol sales more controlled in the city limits of Brownsville.”
MADD Tennessee thanks the departments that participated in this year’s compliance checks and if your department would like to participate in the future, contact Sonya Manfred at sonya.manfred@madd.org
MADD’s mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. For more information, visit www.maddtn.org or call 1-800-438-6233.