"Party Patrols" to begin in Winneshiek County

The Winneshiek County Sheriff's Office will use "Party Patrols" to reduce rates of underage drinking and binge drinking in Winneshiek County.

The ERASE Substance Abuse Coalition, working with Helping Services for Northeast Iowa with funding from the Community Coalition Grant through the Iowa Department of Public Health will be paying for the Sheriff's Office to have an extra officer on duty during times of high risk for underage drinking or binge drinking such as the 4th of July, homecoming, prom, and festivals. This will allow officers to proactively prevent, patrol, and safely close down underage drinking parties.

Winneshiek County Sheriff Dan Marx says alcohol is still the number one substance used by local youth.  In 2014, nearly 1 in 4 Winneshiek County 11th graders reported drinking in the last 30 days.  73 percent of those surveyed said it is easy to access alcohol in their community.  Youth report accessing alcohol at parties, in homes, outdoor spaces and in rural areas. These parties can lead to serious problems, including students reporting that they have driven under the influence of alcohol.

Along with funding the party patrols, the coalition is working to educate community members on the Social Host Law in Iowa. This law states that it is illegal for parents or other adults to allow minors to drink alcohol on their property.

For more information on how to talk to youth about drugs and alcohol visit http://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/parent-resources.