“We all look forward to soaking up the fun of the Jersey Shore this summer, but we’re focused today on a serious mission: keeping the good times safe for our teens and young people,” Chiesa said. “Simply put, I consider underage drinking a threat to the health and well-being of our youth in New Jersey.”

The keystone of the Shore efforts is the “Cops in Shops” program, which is run by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

“Cops in Shops” is a program designed by the Century Council, a national not-for-profit organization funded by distillers. Under the program, local police officers work undercover in participating retail locations. Law enforcement officials either pose as store employees or are positioned outside the establishment to apprehend adults who attempt to purchase alcohol for underage drinkers. The New Jersey Cops in Shops program is recognized nationally as a successful program.

“One Shore teenager told us that it was common for her and her friends to wait outside a liquor store for a sympathetic adult to buy them alcohol.  She called this “Going Fishing,” Chiesa said.
“My message for those teens and adults of a similar mind is this: Simply don’t do it.”

Since its inception in 1996, nearly 10,000 underage persons and adults have been arrested in New Jersey as a result of the Cops in Shops initiative. Last summer, 246 people were arrested through the Cops in Shops summer program, up from 154 in 2010. This summer, 30 Shore police departments are participating in the program, with approximately $61,000 in funding provided by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

“Underage drinking is at the top of the ABC’s priority list,” Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Michael Halfacre said. “When Cops in Shops began 16 years ago, only six law enforcements agencies participated. The effective efforts of our local law enforcement partners, who help us combat this real problem, have been the key to this programs’ growth.”

The Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control also administers the Cops in Shops College-Fall Initiative. The College-Fall Initiative grant is available to police departments in New Jersey with a college or university either within its borders or in a neighboring community and is aimed at keeping anyone under the age of 21 from drinking alcohol. This program runs from November through June. The lists of the towns participating in each Cops in Shops program can be found following the press release.

In addition to the ABC’s enforcement efforts, the Division also aims to curb underage drinking with educational outreach, including:

“Listen-Up to the Dangers of Underage Drinking” Radio PSA Program: Aimed at middle school students, the “Listen-Up” program challenged young people to create a script for a 30-second radio public service announcement that talked directly to parents about the dangers of underage alcohol use. The winning students produced and starred in the radio spots, which will be distributed to stations in the New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia media market.

“Proms and Alcohol Don’t Mix” Television PSA Contest: The winning script writers for the 30-second commercial were Pascack Valley High School seniors Carlie Cattelona, Melissa Chayt and Emily Considine. Their spot has been running throughout the spring prom season on cable and local television stations throughout New Jersey and will be posted on YouTube and on the Division’s web site. The winners’ script was judged best among the more than 50 submissions in January by a panel comprised of senior ABC staff, media specialists and teen substance abuse advocates. A production team from Rutgers University went on-site at Pascack Valley High School in February to shoot the spot.

###

Local Law Enforcement Receiving “Cops in Shops” Summer 2012 Grants

Absecon
Avalon
Barnegat
Beach Haven
Belmar
Egg Harbor Twp.
Harvey Cedars
Jackson Twp.
Lake Como
Lakehurst
Lakewood
Lavalette
Long Beach
Lower Twp.
Manchester
Middle Twp.
Neptune Twp.
Northfield
North Wildwood
Ocean Gate
Ocean Twp. (Monmouth)
Ocean Twp. (Ocean)
Pt. Pleasant Beach
Pt. Pleasant Boro
Sea Isle City
Seaside Heights
Ship Bottom
Spring Lake Heights
Toms River
Wildwood

###