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Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

Sobering drill

York County officers put to the test in simulated bust of underage drinkers

- Toya Graham
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YORK -- Kassandra Byrd, 17, slumped in a lawn chair at a party in York. The Rock Hill teen clutched an empty beer can, as did some of her friends.

"Try walking," a female voice called out. "You can do it."

"That's not happening," Logan Caldwell, 18, said. "I'm bombed."

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Downstairs, three party-goers talked near a barn door as a sport utility vehicle pumped music. Then, a black pickup truck pulled up.

"Cops!" a teen yelled as she ran up the barn steps to her friends, who tried to escape.

Wednesday's mock party-turned-bust was part of a two-day training for countywide law enforcement. It was sponsored in part by Keystone Substance Abuse Services, the Alcohol Enforcement Team and York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit.

"This allows the officers a hands-on opportunity to work with real life scenarios of what can go right and wrong when they go to disperse underage drinking parties," Keystone spokeswoman Jane Alleva said.

Sober cops and teens faked being drunk to illustrate what could go wrong while trying to apprehend intoxicated underage drinkers.

"Can I help you?" asked Chad Davis, a York County Sheriff's officer playing the part of a drinking teen's dad, as police entered the barn. "It's private property. You ain't suppose to be here."

"We have a complaint that there's an underage drinking party," a police officer told Davis.

Then, Davis took center stage.

"Partner, I can tell you this much," an inebriated-acting Davis said. "You sure know how to ruin a good time. These are all good kids. They just got out of high school. They're just trying to have a good time."

Meanwhile, another officer requested Kassandra's identification.

"My ID?" Kassandra asked as officers tried to help her walk.

"You're under arrest," the officer said.

"For what?" Kassandra asked. "I was just drinking."

"You know how much you drank tonight?" the officer asked.

"I don't know," Kassandra said in her feigned drunkenness.

Across the room, teens presented other problems. One refused to sit down. Another refused to hand over her ID. Another insisted that she was just dancing, while another tried to convince police that she'd only had a sip of alcohol.

"You're not under arrest, but you're not free to leave," an officer said before he read the group its Miranda rights. "Do you understand your rights?"

"Whatever," a male teen answered.

Alexis Jarvis, 17, crossed her arms: "I don't have to answer any questions."

Sheriff's investigator Brian Schettler looked on as the first training session ended in less than 10 minutes.

"A lot of these officers haven't had hands-on experience," Schettler said. "This training provides them with the tools they need when they come across an underage drinking party."

While the teens acted as though they were drunk, many said they do not drink.

"It's not something I should be getting into," said Eric Gaston, 17, a 2008 South Pointe High School graduate. "My parents wouldn't be happy if I came home drunk."

Kassandra, also a South Pointe graduate, said she doesn't go to underage drinking parties.

"It's just something I don't do," she said. "I don't want to become an alcoholic."

As Kassandra talked, another set of cops rolled up. Kassandra dashed through the barn door and up the steps past Eric, the new "passed-out guy."

"Stay right here!" an officer commanded.

"Cops! Cops!," Kassandra warned her friends as Alleva tried to hide her smile.

"We achieved our goal of giving our officers real scenarios that will ensure when they approach an underage drinking party, they will have the tools to keep youth safe."

Toya Graham • 329-4062