Underage Drinkers and Smokers Find Consequences at St. Pat’s Festivities

JEFFERSON CITY, March 23, 2005—In Kansas City, St. Louis and Rolla, agents from the Department of Public Safety’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control made 80 arrests of minors in possession of alcohol or tobacco at St. Patrick’s Day festivities last Thursday, March 17.

Since taking office Governor Blunt has supported the Department of Public Safety’s tough stance on underage drinking. Today’s efforts to stamp out underage drinking in urban cities is law enforcement at its basic--if you break the law, you pay the consequences.

In the three, targeted cities, agents dressed in street clothes walked through the crowded parade routes carding young-looking smokers and drinkers. If a person was found to be drinking under the age of 21 or smoking under the age of 18, he or she was arrested by being temporarily taken into custody. The offender was then released with a summons to appear in court and pay a subsequent fine and court fee.

The number of arrests made in Kansas City was down this year from the 99 arrests last year to 58 arrests at this year’s parade. Agents also patrolled the streets at parades in St. Louis, arresting 19 minors, and in Rolla, arresting 3 minors. The total arrests made statewide by Alcohol and Tobacco Control agents on St. Patrick’s Day stands at 80, significantly lower than the 113 arrests of St. Patrick’s Day 2004.

The statewide tally is down largely due to fewer violations out of Kansas City, where 41 less arrests were made there this year.

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Keith Fuller, director of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, said he thinks many factors contributed to the low number of arrests at the parade in Kansas City this year. Fuller said having a shorter parade route, an earlier beginning for the parade time, a strong police presence and the prohibition of coolers made for a better-behaved crowd.

Governor Blunt has charged the Department of Public Safety with upholding the criminal laws of our state in order to protect the values and expectations of Missourians. So anyone who violates the law must expect consequences for their actions.

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