Police sergeant forms student task force against teen drinking

By Staff Writer

A sergeant in Pennsylvania said that his staff usually deals with more underage drinking incidents during the fall season because of high school football games, homecoming events and school dances.

According to The Times Herald, the law enforcement official has teamed with students in an effort to reduce teen drinking. The collaborative group, which is called Student Awareness Forum and Education (SAFE), encourages students from local schools to design strategies that limit the illegal use and sale of alcohol to minors.

The sergeant said that the group was formed because the local Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter was not drawing enough interest. The new organization allows high school students to work with college scholars to create a grassroots movement to spread the message about the dangers of underage drinking.

SAFE has already produced its first public service announcement, which is airing on local broadcast channels.

According to the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Risk Survey, 42 percent of adolescents said that they had drank some amount of alcohol within 30 days of taking the survey.