For Immediate Release

Monday, Feb. 29, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 781-666-2012
Email: john@jgpr.net

Saugus Police Awarded Grant to Combat Underage Drinking

SAUGUS – Chief Domenic DiMella is pleased to announce that the Saugus Police Department has received a $5,000 grant to prevent underage drinking in town.

The funding — which is administered by the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security Highway Safety Division and funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — will be used to increase patrols from March through Labor Day.

Saugus police will conduct additional compliance checks for minors at bars, restaurants and retail locations, and ramp-up surveillance and party patrols. The goal will be to prevent and decrease the sale and consumption of alcohol by minors. Over the past three years, activities under this grant have resulted in 917 youth citations and 377 arrests. An additional 574 citations were issued to adults, and 249 adult arrests were made across the Commonwealth.

“This grant allows us to increase and expand our resources to prevent and decrease consumption of alcohol by minors in our community,” Chief DiMella said. “Parents are reminded to never provide alcohol to anyone under 21, even if you’re in your own home, and we urge restaurants and businesses to always ask for IDs before serving or selling alcohol to customers.”

According to NHTSA, in 2013, 29 percent of young drivers 15 to 20 years old who were killed in crashes had blood alcohol concentrations of .01 or higher. Of those drivers who tested positive for alcohol, 82 percent of them had BACs of .08 or higher. NHTSA estimates that minimum drinking-age laws have saved 29,834 lives nationwide since 1975.

Saugus is one of 72 Massachusetts communities that received part of the $490,960 in total funding from the NHTSA. Average allocations ranged from $2,000 to $15,000.

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