Glen Ridge Borough - Tips from the Chief

Tips from the Chief

Underage Drinking and Your Future

By: John R. Magnier, M.Ed.
Glen Ridge Police Department
Mayor's Alliance Committee

May 16, 2008

Volunteers and administrators in Glen Ridge continue to be involved at the state level working with the Office of the Governor and the Mayors Alliance Committee (MAC). The MAC was created in every county of New Jersey "to make available the opportunity to direct and effectively change within each community, localized solutions to each individual problem." ¹ With the support of the Borough of Glen Ridge MAC, the police department has provided educational programs combating underage drinking through the DARE program, promoting zero tolerance. Officers have been guest speakers at High School Driver Education Classes talking about DWI case law and Breathalyzer testing. We have been meeting with students every spring introducing the Fatal Vision Program. During the summer the MAC supports the annual National Night Out and every fall Officers have been involved with bringing awareness to drugs and alcohol abuse as well as appearing before students prior to the Candy Cane Dance and the Prom reinforcing abstinence from alcohol. MAC has contributed to most of these programs to further their cause in reducing the risk of harm to our children. These are only the programs the police are involved with, the school system adds many other programs.

This year we are concerned with drinking and driving, every year High School Seniors attain their driver licenses, and in around June and July motor vehicle crashes increase. The term motor vehicle accidents have faded away; we now consider them crashes, because a certain amount of fault is balanced against each operator, thus creating a crash.

Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking; this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings (1-5). Yet drinking continues to be widespread among adolescents, as shown by nationwide surveys as well as studies in smaller populations. According to data from the 2005 Monitoring the Future study, an annual survey of U.S. youth, "three-fourths of 12th graders, more than two-thirds of 10th graders, and about two in every five 8th graders have consumed alcohol. And when youth drink they tend to drink intensively, often consuming four to five drinks at one time." ²

We [the police department] are concerned about the issue of underage drinking and we promote abstinence. The Officers of the Glen Ridge Police Department have spent many hours in specialized training, learning to detect alcohol consumption, in particular the use of a test called the HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus). This test recognizes the involuntary motion of the eye; when alcohol is consumed. An officer can observe a "jumping" of the eyeball, indicative of intoxication. No person can train or hide the results of this test.

We [police] need the help of our community if we are to address the issue of underage drinking firmly. I am asking for your help, the community of Glen Ridge, to reinforce our efforts of "zero tolerance" of underage drinking. To bring into your home the echo's of all that you have asked us to provide for you - abstinence of adolescent drinking. To report any known incidents that may involve underage drinking. To stop a problem before it starts, we are aware of parents allowing children to consume alcohol, we can view MySpace.com and other web sites to see what is occurring. If we can college administrator and recruiters can do so as well as prospective professional employers.

Most of us know of someone or have heard of someone wherein drinking to excess has led to a life altering change, and not a favorable change. Don't be the next person people are talking about, it's your choice.

¹ State of New Jersey, Partners for a Drug and Alcohol free State
² U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institute of Health, Underage Drinking, Number 67, January 2006

Drinking and Driving

By: John R. Magnier, M.Ed.
Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety
Mayor's Alliance Committee

July 21, 2003

"Can you hear me now?" Is a common phrase we often hear. Verizon® has marketed this phrase and it is gaining the company expansive brand recognition. Have you noticed on the roadways the latest marketing venture for law enforcement - "You Drink & Drive. You Lose." This may gain you some recognition, in an unexpected way. The reality is that people continue to drink and drive and many innocent adults and children become the real victim. Based on national statistics, approximately every 30 minutes someone is killed due to an alcohol related incident and every two minutes there is a personal injury related to alcohol. "After years of gradual improvements, fatalities in alcohol-related crashed are on the rise nationally.¹"

Fast Facts: Underage Drinking Research; MADD

The Median age at which children begin drinking in 13.
Beer is the most popular beverage among young people.
High School binge drinking is a major predictor in binge drinking in college.
Youth who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at 21.

Glen Ridge is involved at the State level working with the Office of the Governor and the Mayors Alliance Committee (MAC). The MAC was created in every county of New Jersey "to make available the opportunity to direct and effectively change within each community, localized solutions to each individual problem."² With the support of the Borough of Glen Ridge MAC, the police department has provided educational programs combating underage drinking through the DARE program, promoting zero tolerance. Officers have been guest speakers at High School Driver Education Classes and at Meet the Coach's Night talking about DWI case law and Breathalyzer testing. We have been meeting with students every spring introducing the Fatal Vision Program. Every fall Officers have been involved with bringing awareness to drugs and alcohol abuse as well as appearing before students prior to the Candy Cane Dance and Prom reinforcing abstinence from alcohol.

We need the help of our community if we are to address the issue of underage drinking firmly. I am asking for your help, the community of Glen Ridge, to reinforce our efforts of "zero tolerance" of underage drinking. To bring into your home the echo's of all that you have asked us to provide for you - abstinence of adolescent drinking. To report any known incidents that may involve underage drinking. To stop a problem before it starts.

View the Mayor's Youth Summit Parents Guide.

¹The International Association of Chief's of Police, Alexandra Virginia. Operation Buckle Down Dispatch, July 2003.
²State of New Jersey, Partners for a Drug and Alcohol free State

Underage Drinking

By: John R. Magnier, M.Ed.
Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety
Mayor's Alliance Committee

November 28, 2001

Underage drinking is a national issue, and the issue is here in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. During this past Thanksgiving Day Holiday, the Glen Ridge Police Department took part in a national enforcement campaign targeted at increased awareness of drinking and public safety. Checkpoints were set up around town designed to enforce seatbelt law and detect drunk driving. In the largest nationwide mobilization ever, more than 10,600 law enforcement agencies in all 50 states increased enforcement of child passenger safety, seatbelt and drunk driving laws. Traditionally Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous travel holidays, this year being no different. Every year 100,000 deaths in the United States are related to alcohol consumption.¹

How can underage drinking be a national issue? Consider, congressional sponsors from across the United States have supported recent legislation calling for a "National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking, Act of 2001." This Bill, which has been introduced to congress, would allocate $1,000,000.00 of Federal funding. It "directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop, implement and conduct a national media campaign for the purpose of reducing and preventing underage drinking in the United States.²"

Glen Ridge is involved at the State level working with the Office of the Governor and the Mayors Alliance Committee, a.k.a. MAC. The MAC was created in every county of New Jersey "to make available the opportunity to direct and effectively change within each community, localized solutions to each individual problem."³ With the support of the Glen Ridge MAC, the police department has provided educational programs combating underage drinking through the DARE program, promoting zero tolerance. Officers have been guest speakers at High School Driver Education Classes and at

Meet the Coach's Night talking about DWI case law and Breathalyzer testing. We have been meeting with students every spring introducing the Fatal Vision Program. Every fall Officers have been involved with Red Ribbon Week, bringing awareness to drugs and alcohol abuse as well as appearing before students prior to the Candy Cane Dance and Prom reinforcing abstinence from alcohol.

We are concerned about the issue of underage drinking and we promote abstinence. The Officers of the Glen Ridge Police Department have spent many hours in specialized training, learning to detect alcohol consumption, in particular the use of a test called the HGN (Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus). This test recognizes the involuntary motion of the eye; when alcohol is consumed. An officer can observe a "jumping" of the eyeball, indicative of intoxication. Currently we are looking at ways of introducing technology into our arsenal in preventing underage drinking as well as exploring new, effective educational programs. We are here for the community.

I was passing through Roseland, New Jersey and came upon a sign posted by the local first aid squad. It read: "Imagine a call for help, answered by an echo." I thought how appropriate this simple request was, inasmuch as we need the help of our community if we are to address the issue of underage drinking firmly. I am asking for your help, the community of Glen Ridge, as far as reinforcing our efforts of "zero tolerance" of underage drinking. To bring into your home the echo's of all that you have asked us to provide for you - abstinence of adolescent drinking.

When things go wrong, people ask, "where were the police?" We are here and we are working with you and for you. But, we need more from those who often say "someone else can do that," or "it's not my problem," or even cast aside the issue because you don't have the time to be bothered now. There are many committed volunteers and committee members taking up the challenge. Yet, these are the same people that are always involved, "the choir." If you have ever asked, "what can I do to help make a difference" I urge you to get involved by helping to prevent a future tragedy.

Is there someone in your family or circle of friends that may need help? Is there someone in your family or circle of friends that has been masking the truth from you? Are you willing to answer a few questions and be responsible?

To help you decide if you have a drinking problem, look at he following twelve questions. If you can answer yes to any one of these questions, maybe it's time you take a serious look at what your drinking might be doing to you.

Do you drink because you have problems? To relax?
Do you drink when you get mad at other people, your friend or parents?
Do you prefer to drink alone, rather than with others?
Are your grades starting to slip?
Did you ever try to stop drinking or drink less - and fail?
Have you begun to drink in the morning, before school?
Do you gulp your drinks?
Do you ever have loss of memory due to your drinking?
Do you lie about your drinking?
Do you ever get into trouble when you're drinking?
Do you get drunk when you drink, even when you don't mean to?
Do you think it's cool to be able to hold your liquor?

The preceding questions have been excerpted from material appearing in the pamphlet, "A Message to Teenagers…" and has been reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. (A.A.W.S.) Permission to reprint this material does not mean that A.A.W.S. has reviewed and/or endorsed this publication. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism only - use of A.A. material in any non-A.A. context does not imply otherwise.⁴

Help is available, contact any clergy member, teacher, counselor or police officer and just ask, "Will you help me?"

On December 5, 2001 at 7:00 PM at the Congregational Church is the Mayor's Summit meeting, part of the program is directed at Underage Drinking. Come to the meeting and be a part of the solution.

¹McGinnis, J.M. and Foege, W.H. Actual causes of death in the United States, Journal of the American Medical Association 270:2207-2212, 1993
²Roybal-Allard, Ms., 107th Congress, 1st Session, HR 1509 A Bill in the House of Representatives, National Media Campaign to Prevent Underage Drinking, Act 2001.
³State of New Jersey, Partners for a Drug and Alcohol free State
⁴Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. 427 riverside Drive New York City, New York, Darlene G. Smith November 2001

Smoking

By: John R. Magnier, M.Ed.
Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety
Mayor's Alliance Committee

March 17, 2003

The link between smoking and health problems is by now well established. Yet, the number of young people smoking, for at least the last three years has remained at a level of approximately one-third of students in High School. Health education curricula throughout the state have included segments concerning smoking and the consequent health problems associated with the use of cigarettes. So why does this remain an issue today? Studies from Columbia University assert that it is the perception of the degree of physical harm associated with regular cigarette use that High School students misunderstand. Students believe, erroneously, that tobacco will help reduce their stress and make them look "cool." Students may even think because smoking is an adult thing to do, they will actually become more mature by acquiring the habit. The fact is simply stated, smoking is harmful. Read the package in your hand while you light up that cigarette, "smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and may complicate pregnancy." Peer pressure, no matter how slight, is still an unwelcome coercion. If you refuse to smoke it is okay.

The American Cancer Society has published statistics that more than 400,000 people in the United Stated are killed by tobacco use each year. Further studies show that people who spend time with smokers have many more lung diseases than people who live in smoke-free environments. Subsequent to smoking cigarettes there are other concerns about tobacco. What about chewing tobacco or smoking cigars? Cigars can cause mouth cancer and lip cancer and chewing tobacco has almost the same harmful effects.

The Borough Council, working with the Mayor's Alliance Committee, passed an Ordinance creating a Smoke Free School Zone. It is now unlawful for minor's under the age of 18 to use tobacco products within 1,000 feet of a school zone, the same area as the Drug Free School Zone. Any police officer, teacher, health officer, or any citizen may sign a complaint for violating this ordinance, simply by contacting the Detective Bureau/Juvenile Officer. A minor found guilty of violating this Ordinance shall pay a penalty of not less than $25.00 nor more than $100.00. Penalties for the first violation may be in the form of community service.

Smoking is highly addictive, your body gets use to having nicotine and begins to need it to function. Through a gradual process you can quit the habit, there are many different ways. Yet, you have to want to quit. There is always support to help you succeed in becoming a healthier energetic person, a role model for the youth that looks up to you.