Money to arrest underage drinking

LYNN – Police have been awarded a nearly $10,000 grant to combat underage drinking.”This much-needed funding helps us target the problem of underage drinking on all fronts,” Lynn Police said in a press release. “Whether you are underage, plan to sell to a minor, or buy alcohol for a minor, this funding promotes our effort to diligently enforce the laws against underage drinking.”The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s Highway Safety Division (EOPSS/HSD) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is awarding $505,000 among 71 Massachusetts communities in a competitive process for grants between $4,200 and $15,000. Lynn Police received $9,953. The money supports compliance checks for minors in bars, restaurants and retail locations; reverse stings and “Cops in Shops” programs; shoulder tap solicitations; surveillance patrols; and party patrols.Through a combination of these techniques, departments analyze and crack down on minors who seek to circumvent the law and the people and businesses that enable them. Over the past three years, this grant has resulted in 485 youth citations and 340 arrests across the commonwealth. Citations were also issued to 413 adults, and 352 adult arrests were made across the state.Although it’s illegal in all 50 states for youth under age 21 to buy or drink alcohol, NHTSA reports that nationally in 2012, 28 percent of the underage drivers who were killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 or higher.The Lynn Police Department, in partnership with EOPSS/HSD and NHTSA, recognizes that traffic crashes are preventable, and the department is committed to using this grant to reduce the number of motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries in Lynn.